Polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer compositions and methods of making the same

ABSTRACT

A polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition is provided. The composition comprises a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules. The polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules (i) comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, (ii) have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, and (iii) have a biobased content of ≧80%. Also provided is a method of making a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition. The method comprises culturing an organism in the presence of one or more carbon raw materials under conditions under which (a) the one or more carbon raw materials are converted to 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and (b) the 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and the 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA are polymerized to form the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, thereby forming the composition. The organism has been genetically engineered to comprise particular enzymatic activities, and to not comprise other particular enzymatic activities. The one or more carbon raw materials, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧80%.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/734,489, filed Dec. 7, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/711,825, filed Oct. 10, 2012, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer compositions and methods of making the same, and more particularly to polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer compositions comprising a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules (i) comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, (ii) have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, and (iii) have a biobased content of ≧80%, and to methods of making the same comprising culturing an organism in the presence of one or more carbon raw materials.

BACKGROUND

Polyhydroxyalkanoates are biodegradable and biocompatible thermoplastic materials that can be produced from renewable resources and that have a broad range of industrial and biomedical applications. Polyhydroxyalkanoates can be produced as homopolymers, such as poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (also termed “PHB”) and poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (also termed “P4HB”), or as copolymers, such as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (also termed “PHB-co-4HB”). Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymers are of interest for their potential to be produced from renewable resources and to be used for conferring rubber-like elasticity in polymer blends. Thus, for example, production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) with high amounts of 4HB monomer incorporation into the copolymer has been described previously in the literature using various microorganisms, but this was accomplished only when immediate precursors of 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, such as e.g. 4-hydroxybutyrate, γ-butyrolactone, and/or 1,4-butanediol were supplied with other carbon sources. E.g., Kunioka et al., Polymer Communications 29:174-176 (1988); Doi et al., Polymer Communications 30:169-171 (1989); Kimura et al., Biotechnol. Letters 14(6):445-450 (1992); Nakamura et al., Macromolecules 25(17):4237-4241 (1992); Saito and Doi, Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 16(2):99-104 (1994); Lee et al., Biotechnol. Letters 19(8):771-774 (1997); Choi et al., Appl. Environm. Microbiol. 65(4):1570-1577 (1999); Hsieh et al., J. Taiwan Inst. Chem. Engin. 40:143-147 (2009). Production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymer from glucose as a sole carbon source in genetically engineered Escherichia coli cells has also been accomplished, but the reported monomeric molar percentages of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the resulting copolymers have been low, e.g. 12.5% or less during stationary phase, unless other carbon sources were co-fed. Chen et al., U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0214213; see also Dennis and Valentin, U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,658; Valentin and Dennis, J. Biotechnol. 58:33-38 (1997), Chen et al., Chinese Patent Application CN 102382789 A; Li et al., Metab. Eng. 12:352-359 (2010). Production of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate homopolymer from a genetically engineered microbial biomass metabolizing a renewable feedstock, such as glucose, has also been described, but exemplary poly-4-hydroxybutyrate homopolymer titers were less than 50% by weight of biomass titers, and in any case poly-4-hydroxybutyrate homopolymer does not have the same properties as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymer. Van Walsem et al., WO 2011/100601.

SUMMARY

A polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition is provided. The composition comprises a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules. The polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules (i) comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, (ii) have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, and (iii) have a biobased content of ≧80%.

Also provided is a method of making a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition. The composition comprises a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules. The polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules (i) comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, (ii) have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, and (iii) have a biobased content of ≧80%. The method comprises culturing an organism in the presence of one or more carbon raw materials under conditions under which (a) the one or more carbon raw materials are converted to 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and (b) the 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and the 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA are polymerized to form the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, thereby forming the composition. The organism has been genetically engineered to comprise enzymatic activities of a polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase, an acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase, an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, a succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, a succinic semialdehyde reductase, and a CoA transferase, and to not comprise enzymatic activities of either an NAD+-dependent succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase or an NADP+-dependent succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase or both. The one or more carbon raw materials, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧80%.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of exemplary E. coli central metabolic pathways showing reactions that were modified or introduced in the Examples or that could be modified in the future. Reactions that were eliminated by deleting the corresponding genes in certain Examples are marked with an “X”. Abbreviations: “PEP”, phosphoenolpyruvate; “PYR”, pyruvate; “Ac-CoA”, acetyl-CoA; “AcAc-CoA”, acetoacetyl-CoA; “3HB-CoA”, 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA; “CIT”, citrate; “ICT”, isocitrate; “aKG”, alpha-ketoglutarate; “SUC-CoA”, succinyl-CoA; “SUC”, succinate; “Fum”, fumarate; “MAL”, L-malate; “OAA”, oxaloacetate; “SSA”, succinic semialdehyde; “4HB”, 4-hydroxybutyrate; “4HB-P”, 4-hydroxybutyryl-phosphate; “4HB-CoA”, 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA; “PHB-co-4HB”, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate). Numbered reactions: “1”, acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase (a.k.a. beta-ketothiolase); “2”, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase; “3”, succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase; “4”, alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase; “5”, succinic semialdehyde reductase; “6”, CoA transferase; “7”, butyrate kinase; “8”, phosphotransbutyrylase; “9”, polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase; “10”, succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase; “11”, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase; “12”, 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA thioesterase.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A description of example embodiments of the disclosure follows.

A polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition is provided. The composition comprises a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules. The composition can be, for example, a biomass composition, e.g. an organism that has produced, and comprises therein, the plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, a composition free of non-polyhydroxyalkanoate biomass, e.g. a composition comprising polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules that have been isolated and/or purified from an organism that has produced the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, or a bioplastic composition, e.g. a homogeneous or blended composition comprising the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules and suitable for use as a bioplastic.

The polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers. Accordingly, each polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecule comprises both 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers. Such molecules can be synthesized, for example, by PHA-synthase mediated copolymerization of 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA to yield molecules of the copolymer, e.g. poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymer. Exemplary suitable PHA synthases are described in the Examples below. Each polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecule also optionally can comprise further additional monomers, e.g. 5-hydroxyvalerate monomers, for example based on the further presence of polymerizable precursors of the additional monomers during PHA-synthase mediated copolymerization of 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA.

The polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%. Accordingly, 23.5 to 75% of the monomeric units of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, taken together, are 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, with the remaining 25 to 76.5% of the monomeric units of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules corresponding to 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and optionally further additional monomers. In some embodiments, substantially all, e.g. ≧95% or ≧99%, of the remaining 25 to 76.5% of the monomeric units correspond to 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers, with the rest corresponding to further additional monomers. In some embodiments, all of the remaining 25 to 76.5% of the monomeric units correspond to 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers, such that the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules include no further additional monomers. Thus, for example with regard to poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymer in particular, for polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules having a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, the remaining 25 to 76.5% of the monomeric units of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules correspond to 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers. Exemplary suitable methods for determining the monomeric molar percentage of 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are described in the Examples below.

In some embodiments, the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can be 25 to 70%. The monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can be, for example, 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, or 60 to 70%.

The monomeric molar percentages of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules affect properties of compositions thereof, for example with respect to melting temperatures, elongation to break, glass transition temperatures, and the like. For example, as the monomeric molar percentages of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymer molecules increase above 10%, the melting temperature decreases below 130° C. and the elongation to break increases above 400%. Saito Y. et al., 39 Polym. Int. 169 (1996). Thus, polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules having monomeric molar percentages of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers in each of the various ranges disclosed above can be used to engineer compositions to have particular desired properties.

The polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules have a biobased content of ≧80%. Biobased content, as the term is used herein, means the amount of biobased carbon in a material or product as a percent of the weight (mass) of the total organic carbon of the material or product, as defined in ASTM D6866-12, Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis (ASTM International, U.S., 2012), which is incorporated by reference herein. As discussed in ASTM D6866-12, total organic carbon can include both biobased carbon and fossil carbon. Biobased carbon corresponds to organic carbon that includes radiocarbon, i.e. ¹⁴C, in an amount indicative of recent cycling through the living biosphere, e.g. recent incorporation of atmospheric CO₂, including a known percentage of ¹⁴C, into organic carbon. Fossil carbon corresponds to organic carbon that includes little or no radiocarbon because the age of the fossil carbon, as measured from the date of incorporation of atmospheric CO₂, is much greater than the half-life of ¹⁴C, i.e. all or essentially all of the ¹⁴C that had been incorporated has decayed. Accordingly, as applied to polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, biobased content means the amount of biobased carbon in the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules as a percent of the weight (mass) of the total organic carbon of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules. The biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can be measured, for example, in accordance with ASTM D6866-12, based on determining the contents of ¹⁴C and ¹²C in CO₂ derived by combustion of the polyhydroxyalkanoate, and correcting for post 1950 bomb ¹⁴C injection into the atmosphere, among other methods. Thus, for example, the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can have a biobased content of ≧80% as measured in accordance with ASTM D6866-12. Other suitable approaches for measuring biobased content, as are known in the art, also can be used. Differences in biobased contents between different polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are indicative of structural differences, i.e. differences in the ratios of ¹⁴C to ¹²C thereof, between the different polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules.

In some embodiments, the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is ≧95%. In some embodiments, the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is ≧99%. In some embodiments, the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 100%. Thus, for example, the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can be ≧95%, or ≧99%, or 100%, in each case again as measured in accordance with ASTM D6866-12.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules having the above-noted biobased contents can be used for the manufacture of biobased plastics in which most or all fossil carbon has been replaced by renewable biobased carbon, with accompanying environmental benefits. Moreover, polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules having the above-noted biobased contents can be distinguished readily from polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules and other polymers and compounds not having the above-noted biobased contents, based on the above-noted structural differences associated with differences in biobased contents, with accompanying regulatory benefits.

The polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can have a weight average molecular weight of 250 kilodalton (“kDa”) to 2.0 megadalton (“MDa”). The polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can occur in a distribution with respect to their molecular weights, and the physical properties and rheological properties of compositions of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can depend on the distribution. Molecular weights of polymers can be calculated various ways. Weight average molecular weight, also termed M_(w), is the sum of the weights of the various chain lengths, times the molecular weight of the chain, divided by the total weight of all of the chains (ΣN_(i)M_(i) ²/ΣN_(i)M_(i)). Number average molecular weight, also termed M_(n), is the sum of the number of chains of a given length, times the molecular weight of the chain, divided by the total number of chains (ΣN_(i)M_(i)/ΣN_(i)). Polydispersity index provides a measure of the broadness of a molecular weight distribution of a polymer and is calculated as the weight average molecular weight divided by the number average molecular weight. As used herein, the term molecular weight refers to weight average molecular weight unless context indicates otherwise.

Weight average molecular weight of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can be determined, for example, by use of light scattering and gel permeation chromatography with polystyrene standards. Chloroform can be used as both the eluent for the gel permeation chromatography and as the diluent for the polyhydroxyalkanoates. Calibration curves for determining molecular weights can be generated by using linear polystyrenes as molecular weight standards and a calibration method based on log molecular weight as a function of elution volume.

In some embodiments, the weight average molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 1.5 MDa to 2.0 MDa, e.g. as determined by use of light scattering and gel permeation chromatography with polystyrene standards. In some embodiments the weight average molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 1.7 MDa to 2.0 MDa, e.g. again as determined by use of light scattering and gel permeation chromatography with polystyrene standards.

Unexpectedly, it has been observed here that the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules having a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, e.g. 25 to 70%, 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, or 60 to 70%, can be obtained in polyhydroxyalkanoate titers ≧50% by weight of biomass titers in accordance with the methods described below, e.g. culturing an organism in the presence of one or more carbon raw materials, as discussed below, wherein the organism has been genetically engineered, as also discussed below. More specifically, it has been observed that the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can be obtained in polyhydroxyalkanoate titers exceeding 50% by weight of biomass titers by culturing the organism in the presence of glucose as a sole carbon source and thus in the absence of compounds that are immediate precursors of 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and/or compounds that are typically manufactured from nonrenewable resources. It has also been observed that during culturing of an organism, not so genetically engineered, in the presence of glucose and 1,4-butanediol, which is a compound that is both an immediate precursor of 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and typically manufactured from nonrenewable resources, increasing the amount of 1,4-butanediol, while being useful for achieving relatively higher monomeric molar percentages of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, results in relatively lower yields of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules and relatively lower weight average molecular weights thereof. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the polyhydroxyalkanoate titers ≧50% by weight of biomass titers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules that can be obtained by the methods described below are indicative of unexpectedly higher molecular weights associated with the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules. Polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules having weight average molecular weights in the above-noted ranges can be used to prepare polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer compositions having desired physical properties and rheological properties.

The composition can have a glass transition temperature of −60° C. to −5° C. Glass transition temperature is the temperature above which polymer molecules begin coordinated molecular motions. Physically, the polymer modulus begins to drop several orders of magnitude until the polymer finally reaches a rubbery state. In some embodiments, the glass transition temperature of the composition is, for example, −50° C. to −15° C., −50° C. to −20° C., or −45° C. to −15° C. Compositions having glass transition temperatures in the above-noted ranges can be used to ensure that the compositions are in a rubbery state at desired temperatures of use.

The composition can be one wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules does not decrease with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules. As noted above, the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can occur in a distribution with respect to their molecular weights. Monomeric molar percentages of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers may vary between individual polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules. A composition wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules does not decrease with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can be, for example, a composition wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules at the high end of the molecular weight distribution is not lower than the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules at the low end of the molecular weight distribution. Thus, for example, the composition can be one wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules does not vary substantially, e.g. at all, with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, e.g. the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules at the high end of the molecular weight distribution is essentially the same, e.g. identical, to that of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules at the low end of the molecular weight distribution. Also for example, the composition can be one wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules increases with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, e.g. the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules at the high end of the molecular weight distribution is higher than that of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules at the low end of the molecular weight distribution.

Unexpectedly, it has been observed here that the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules having a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, and more particularly about 50 to 60%, can be obtained in forms in which the monomeric molar percentages of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules of a culture of an organism do not decrease during later stages of culturing of the organism, e.g. during stationary phase, in accordance with the methods described below, e.g. culturing an organism in the presence of one or more carbon raw materials, such as glucose as a sole carbon source, as discussed below, wherein the organism has been genetically engineered, as also discussed below. It has also been observed that during culturing of an organism not so genetically engineered, in the presence of glucose and 1,4-butanediol, decreasing amounts of 1,4-butanediol that are typical of later stages of such culturing (e.g. reflecting consumption of most of the 1,4-butanediol that had been present) result in decreasing monomeric molar percentages of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules of a culture of the organism with concomitant increasing weight average molecular weights of the copolymer molecules. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the absence of a decrease of the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules of a culture of an organism during later stages of the culturing of the organism, in accordance with the methods described below, is indicative of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules does not decrease with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules. Polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules does not decrease with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can be used to ensure consistent structural and physical properties of compositions thereof.

The composition can be one wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are produced in a fermentation process using one or more carbon raw materials that, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧80%; the one or more carbon raw materials comprise a carbon source selected from the group consisting of glucose, levoglucosan, sucrose, lactose, fructose, xylose, maltose, arabinose, and mixtures thereof; and the yield is greater than 0.25 g of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules per gram of the carbon source. For example, in some embodiments the yield is greater than 0.30 g, or greater than 0.35 g, or greater than 0.40 g, of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules per gram of the carbon source.

Methods of making polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer compositions, as described above, are disclosed below.

A polymer blend composition is also provided. The polymer blend composition comprises a polyhydroxyalkanoate composition and a plurality of molecules of a second polymer. The polyhydroxyalkanoate composition can be any of the polyhydroxyalkanoate compositions as described above, for example a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition comprising a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules (i) comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, (ii) have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, and (iii) have a biobased content of ≧80%. Moreover, the polyhydroxyalkanoate composition can be one, for example, wherein (a) the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 25 to 70%, 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, or 60 to 70%, (b) the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is ≧95%, ≧99%, or 100% (c) the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules have a weight average molecular weight of 250 kDa to 2.0 MDa, 1.5 MDa to 2.0 MDa, or 1.7 MDa to 2.0 MDa, (d) the composition has a glass transition temperature of −60° C. to −5° C., −50° C. to −15° C., −50° C. to −20° C., or −45° C. to −15° C., (e) the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules does not decrease with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, and/or (f) the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are produced in a fermentation process using one or more carbon raw materials that, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧80%, as described above.

The second polymer can be, for example, a biobased polymer or a non-biobased polymer. Suitable biobased polymers include, for example, polylactic acid, polybutylene succinate, polybutylene succinate adipate, polybutylene adipate terephthalate, and/or polypropylene carbonate, wherein the polymers of the biobased plastics are derived from biobased succinic acid, biobased adipic acid, biobased 1,4-butanediol, biobased polypropylene oxide, and/or carbon dioxide. Suitable biobased polymers also include, for example, additional polyhydroxyalkanoates other than poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymer, such as, for example, homopolymers such as poly-3-hydroxybutyrate homopolymer and poly-4-hydroxybutyrate homopolymer, other copolymers, such as poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate, and blends of these and other polyhydroxyalkanoates. Suitable non-biobased polymers include, for example, polyvinylchloride.

The polymer blend composition can be used for a wide variety of applications, e.g. packaging film, based on optimization of mechanical properties (e.g. tensile strength, puncture resistance, and elongation), thermal properties (e.g. heat distortion temperature), and/or optical properties (e.g. clarity). The polymer blend composition wherein the second polymer is a biobased polymer in particular can be used for optimizing performance properties and to achieve high biobased contents. The polymer blend composition wherein the second polymer is polyvinylchloride has improved properties including improved processing in comparison to polyvinylchloride alone. The polymer blend composition can be blended by suitable methods that are known in the art.

The polymer blend composition can be one, for example, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are present at 5 to 95 weight percent of the polymer blend composition. For example, the polymer blend composition can be one wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are present at 20 to 40 weight percent, 25 to 35 weight percent, or 28 to 33 weight percent, of the polymer blend composition. The polymer blend composition also can be, for example, continuous or co-continuous. The polymer blend composition also can be one, for example, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules and the molecules of the second polymer form a single phase, e.g. wherein the second polymer is polyvinyl chloride. The polymer blend composition also can be one, for example, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules and the molecules of the second polymer form more than a single phase, e.g. wherein the second polymer is polylactic acid. The polymer blend composition also can have, for example, a lower crystallizability, i.e. maximum theoretical crystallinity, than a corresponding composition that lacks the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules.

A biomass composition is also provided. The biomass composition comprises a polyhydroxyalkanoate composition, e.g. any of the polyhydroxyalkanoate compositions as described above, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are present at ≧50 weight percent of the biomass composition. Thus, again, the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition can be one, for example, comprising a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules (i) comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, (ii) have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, and (iii) have a biobased content of ≧80%. Moreover, the polyhydroxyalkanoate composition can be one, for example, wherein (a) the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 25 to 70%, 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, or 60 to 70%, (b) the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is ≧95%, ≧99%, or 100%, (c) the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules have a weight average molecular weight of 250 kDa to 2.0 MDa, 1.5 MDa to 2.0 MDa, or 1.7 MDa to 2.0 MDa, (d) the composition has a glass transition temperature of −60° C. to −5° C., −50° C. to −15° C., −50° C. to −20° C., or −45° C. to −15° C., (e) the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules does not decrease with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, and/or (f) the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are produced in a fermentation process using one or more carbon raw materials that, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧80%, as described above.

As noted, the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are present at ≧50 weight percent of the biomass composition. As used herein, weight percent of the biomass composition refers to dry weight of the biomass composition, e.g. cell dry weight. The polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can be present, for example, at ≧60, ≧70, ≧80, ≧85, or ≧90 weight percent of the biomass composition.

A method of making a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition is also provided. Again, the polyhydroxyalkanoate composition can be any of the polyhydroxyalkanoate compositions as described above, for example a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition comprising a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules (i) comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, (ii) have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, and (iii) have a biobased content of ≧80%. Moreover, the polyhydroxyalkanoate composition can be one, for example, wherein (a) the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 25 to 70%, 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, or 60 to 70%, (b) the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is ≧95%, ≧99%, or 100%, (c) the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules have a weight average molecular weight of 250 kDa to 2.0 MDa, 1.5 MDa to 2.0 MDa, or 1.7 MDa to 2.0 MDa, (d) the composition has a glass transition temperature of −60° C. to −5° C., −50° C. to −15° C., −50° C. to −20° C., or −45° C. to −15° C., (e) the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules does not decrease with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, and/or (f) the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are produced in a fermentation process using one or more carbon raw materials that, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧80%, as described above.

The method can comprise culturing an organism in the presence of one or more carbon raw materials under conditions under which (a) the one or more carbon raw materials are converted to 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and (b) the 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and the 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA are polymerized to form the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, thereby forming the composition.

The culturing can comprise, for example, cultivating the organism by fermentation, shake-flask cultivation, and the like. Fermentation can be carried out, for example, at scales ranging from laboratory scale, e.g. 1 L, to industrial manufacturing scale, e.g. 20,000 to 100,000 L. Additional suitable culturing approaches are described in the Examples below.

The organism can be, for example, a microbial strain or an algal strain. Suitable microbial strains include, for example, an Escherichia coli strain or a Ralstonia eutropha strain. Suitable algal strains include, for example, a Chlorella strain. Additional suitable organisms are described in the Examples below.

The one or more carbon raw materials can comprise a carbon raw material that can be used in an industrial process, e.g. to supply a carbon or other energy source for cells of a fermentation process, and/or that is renewable, e.g. material derived from living organisms or their metabolic byproducts including material derived from biomass, often consisting of underutilized components like chaff or stover. For example, the one or more carbon raw materials can comprise a carbon source selected from the group consisting of glucose, levoglucosan, sucrose, lactose, fructose, xylose, maltose, arabinose, and mixtures thereof. Also for example, the one or more carbon raw materials can comprise one or more of molasses, starch, a fatty acid, a vegetable oil, a lignocellulosic material, ethanol, acetic acid, glycerol, a biomass-derived synthesis gas, and methane originating from a landfill gas.

Considering the one or more carbon raw materials further, in some embodiments, the one or more carbon raw materials can consist essentially of a carbon source selected from the group consisting of glucose, levoglucosan, sucrose, lactose, fructose, xylose, maltose, arabinose, and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the one or more carbon raw materials can consist of a carbon source selected from the group consisting of glucose, levoglucosan, sucrose, lactose, fructose, xylose, maltose, arabinose, and mixtures thereof. Thus, in some embodiments the one or more carbon raw materials can consist essentially of a single carbon source, e.g. glucose. Also, in some embodiments the one or more carbon raw materials can consist of a single carbon source, again e.g. glucose.

The one or more carbon raw materials can also exclude particular compounds, such as compounds that are immediate precursors of 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and/or compounds that are typically manufactured from nonrenewable resources, e.g. from petroleum, based on substantially lower cost in comparison to manufacture thereof from renewable resources, e.g. crops. Incorporation of such compounds for production of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules can be costly, particularly with respect to industrial manufacturing scale, e.g. by fermentation using 20,000 to 100,000 L vessels, based on requiring additional feeds and thus infrastructure and quality control, and can result in a need for tighter control in order to achieve polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer compositions with structural consistency. The one or more carbon raw materials can be, for example, ones that do not comprise γ-butyrolactone, 1,4-butanediol, 4-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, α-ketoglutarate, oxaloacetate, malate, fumarate, citrate, succinate, or 3-hydroxybutyrate, and thus that exclude each of these compounds. Thus, for example, the culturing of the organism can be carried out in the absence of γ-butyrolactone, 1,4-butanediol, 4-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, α-ketoglutarate, oxaloacetate, malate, fumarate, citrate, succinate, and 3-hydroxybutyrate, i.e. without adding any of these compounds exogenously before, during, or after the culturing.

The conditions can be conditions that are suitable, e.g. typical and/or optimal, for cultivation of the organism, e.g. with respect to temperature, oxygenation, initial titer of the organism, time of cultivation, etc. Exemplary suitable conditions are provided in the Examples below.

The one or more carbon raw materials can be converted to 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA by enzymes expressed by the organism, as discussed in detail in the Examples. The 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and the 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA also can be polymerized to form the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, thereby forming the composition, by enzymes expressed by the organism, again as discussed in detail in the Examples.

In accordance with the method, the organism has been genetically engineered to comprise enzymatic activities of a polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase, an acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase, an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, a succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, a succinic semialdehyde reductase, and a CoA transferase, and to not comprise enzymatic activities of either an NAD+-dependent succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase or an NADP+-dependent succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase or both.

The organism can be genetically engineered to comprise the enzymatic activities of a polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase, an acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase, an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, a succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, a succinic semialdehyde reductase, and a CoA transferase, for example, by transforming the organism with one or more genes encoding each of the enzymatic activities. For example, the genes can be stably incorporated into the organism, e.g. by introduction on one or more stable plasmids and/or by integration into the genome of the organism. The organism can also be genetically engineered to comprise the enzymatic activities, for example, by altering the promoter regions of one or more genes encoding each of the enzymatic activities, for example by replacing naturally occurring promoters with stronger promoters and/or by eliminating repressor sequences. In addition, combinations of these approaches and the like can be used. Using approaches such as these can result in integration of the genes in the organism with high stability, e.g. greater than 50 generations of the organism, and high expression, sufficient for industrial production, for example, by fermentation using 20,000 to 100,000 L vessels. Suitable exemplary approaches are discussed in more detail below.

The organism also can be genetically engineered to not comprise enzymatic activities of either an NAD+-dependent succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase or an NADP+-dependent succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase or both, for example, by introducing one or more inhibitory mutations or sequences in the organism to inhibit expression of either or both activities, by deleting from the genome of the organism the corresponding genes that encode either or both activities, by disrupting either or both of the corresponding genes partially or completely by homologous recombination, and/or by interfering with expression of either or both of the corresponding genes such as by expressing siRNAs that interfere with expression of the corresponding genes. Suitable exemplary approaches are discussed in more detail below.

In accordance with the method, the organism can further be genetically engineered to comprise enzymatic activities of an alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase or 2-oxoglutarate decarboxylase, and an L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase. The organism also can be genetically engineered to not comprise enzymatic activities of one or more of a thioesterase II, a multifunctional acyl-CoA thioesterase I and protease I and lysophospholipase L, an acyl-CoA thioesterase, and an aldehyde dehydrogenase.

Also in accordance with the method, the one or more carbon raw materials, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧80%. By this it is meant that the amount of biobased carbon in the one or more carbon raw materials, taken together, is ≧80% of the weight (mass) of the total organic carbon of the one or more carbon raw materials, taken together. Thus, for example, the one or more carbon raw materials, taken together, can have a biobased content of ≧80% as measured in accordance with ASTM D6866-12. This can be accomplished, for example, by including at least one carbon raw material corresponding to a renewable resource, e.g. glucose, levoglucosan, sucrose, lactose, fructose, xylose, maltose, arabinose, and mixtures thereof, such that the biobased content of the renewable resource is 100% and that ≧80% of the weight (mass) of the total organic carbon of the one or more carbon raw materials corresponds to the renewable resource. The one or more carbon raw materials, taken together, can have, for example, a biobased content of ≧95%, ≧99%, or 100%.

The method can also comprise isolating the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules from the organism, such that the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition is substantially free of the organism. Suitable exemplary approaches for such isolation are known in the art.

A polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition made in accordance with the methods described above is also provided. The polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition can be one, for example, comprising a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules (i) comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, (ii) have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, and (iii) have a biobased content of ≧80%. Moreover, the polyhydroxyalkanoate composition can be one, for example, wherein (a) the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 25 to 70%, 30 to 40%, 40 to 50%, 50 to 60%, or 60 to 70%, (b) the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is ≧95%, ≧99%, or 100%, (c) the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules have a weight average molecular weight of 250 kDa to 2.0 MDa, 1.5 MDa to 2.0 MDa, or 1.7 MDa to 2.0 MDa, (d) the composition has a glass transition temperature of −60° C. to −5° C., −50° C. to −15° C., −50° C. to −20° C., or −45° C. to −15° C., (e) the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules does not decrease with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, and/or (f) the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are produced in a fermentation process using one or more carbon raw materials that, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧80%, as described above.

EXAMPLES

The present technology is further illustrated by the following examples, which should not be construed as limiting in any way. These examples describe a number of biotechnology tools and methods for the construction of strains that generate a product of interest. Suitable host strains, the potential source and a list of recombinant genes used in these examples, suitable extrachromosomal vectors, suitable strategies and regulatory elements to control recombinant gene expression, and a selection of construction techniques to overexpress genes in or inactivate genes from host organisms are described. These biotechnology tools and methods are well known to those skilled in the art.

Suitable Host Strains

In some embodiments, the host strain is E. coli K-12 strain LS5218 (Spratt et al., J. Bacteriol. 146 (3):1166-1169 (1981); Jenkins and Nunn, J. Bacteriol. 169 (1):42-52 (1987)) or strain MG1655 (Guyer et al., Cold Spr. Harb. Symp. Quant. Biol. 45:135-140 (1981)). Other suitable E. coli K-12 host strains include, but are not limited to, WG1 and W3110 (Bachmann Bacteriol. Rev. 36(4):525-57 (1972)). Alternatively, E. coli strain W (Archer et al., BMC Genomics 2011, 12:9 doi:10.1186/1471-2164-12-9) or E. coli strain B (Delbruck and Luria, Arch. Biochem. 1:111-141 (1946)) and their derivatives such as REL606 (Lenski et al., Am. Nat. 138:1315-1341 (1991)) are other suitable E. coli host strains.

Other exemplary microbial host strains include but are not limited to: Ralstonia eutropha, Zoogloea ramigera, Allochromatium vinosum, Rhodococcus ruber, Delftia acidovorans, Aeromonas caviae, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, Thiocapsa pfenigii, Bacillus megaterium, Acinetobacter baumannii, Acinetobacter baylyi, Clostridium kluyveri, Methylobacterium extorquens, Nocardia corralina, Nocardia salmonicolor, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas oleovorans, Pseudomonas sp. 6-19, Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 and Pseudomonas putida, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Alcaligenes latus, Klebsiella oxytoca, Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens, Actinobacillus succinogenes, Mannheimia succiniciproducens, Rhizobium etli, Bacillus subtilis, Corynebacterium glutamicum, Gluconobacter oxydans, Zymomonas mobilis, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptomyces coelicolor, and Clostridium acetobutylicum. Exemplary yeasts or fungi include species selected from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Kluyveromyces lactis, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus niger and Pichia pastoris.

Exemplary algal strains include but are not limited to: Chlorella strains, species selected from: Chlorella minutissima, Chlorella emersonii, Chlorella sorokiniana, Chlorella ellipsoidea, Chlorella sp., or Chlorella protothecoides.

Source of Recombinant Genes

Sources of encoding nucleic acids for a PHB-co-4HB pathway enzyme can include, for example, any species where the encoded gene product is capable of catalyzing the referenced reaction. Such species include both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms including, but not limited to, bacteria, including archaea and eubacteria, and eukaryotes, including yeast, plant, insect, animal, and mammal, including human. Exemplary species for such sources include, for example, Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces kluyveri, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, Chlorogleopsis sp. PCC 6912, Chloroflexus aurantiacus, Clostridium kluyveri, Clostridium acetobutylicum, Clostridium beijerinckii, Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum, Clostridium perjringens, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium tyrobutyricum, Clostridium tetanomorphum, Clostridium tetani, Clostridium propionicum, Clostridium aminobutyricum, Clostridium subterminale, Clostridium sticklandii, Ralstonia eutropha, Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Arabidopsis thaliana, Thermus thermophilus, Pseudomonas species, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Chlorella minutissima, Chlorella emersonii, Chlorella sorokiniana, Chlorella ellipsoidea, Chlorella sp., Chlorella protothecoides, Homo sapiens, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Thermoanaerobacter brockii, Metallosphaera sedula, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Roseiflexus castenholzii, Erythrobacter, Simmondsia chinensis, Acinetobacter species, including Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Acinetobacter baylyi, Sulfolobus tokodaii, Sulfolobus solfataricus, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus brevis, Bacillus pumilus, Rattus norvegicus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsiella oxytoca, Euglena gracilis, Treponema denticola, Moorella thermoacetica, Thermotoga maritima, Halobacterium salinarum, Geobacillus stearothermophilus, Aeropyrum pernix, Sus scrofa, Caenorhabditis elegans, Corynebacterium glutamicum, Acidaminococcus fermentans, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Candida sp., Aspergillus terreus, Pedicoccus pentosaceus, Zymomonas mobilus, Acetobacter pasteurians, Kluyveromyces lactis, Eubacterium barkeri, Bacteroides capillosus, Anaerotruncus colihominis, Natranaerobius thermophilus, Campylobacter jejuni, Haemophilus influenzae, Serratia marcescens, Citrobacter amalonaticus, Myxococcus xanthus, Fusobacterium nuleatum, Penicillium chrysogenum, marine gamma proteobacterium, and butyrate-producing bacterium. For example, microbial hosts (e.g., organisms) having PHB-co-4HB biosynthetic production are exemplified herein with reference to an E. coli host. However, with the complete genome sequence available for now more than 550 species (with more than half of these available on public databases such as the NCBI), including 395 microorganism genomes and a variety of yeast, fungi, plant, and mammalian genomes, the identification of genes encoding the requisite PHB-co-4HB biosynthetic activity for one or more genes in related or distant species, including for example, homologues, orthologs, paralogs and nonorthologous gene displacements of known genes, and the interchange of genetic alterations between organisms is routine and well known in the art. Accordingly, the metabolic alterations enabling biosynthesis of PHB-co-4HB and other compounds of the disclosure herein with reference to a particular organism such as E. coli can be readily applied to other microorganisms, including prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms alike. Given the teachings and guidance provided herein, those skilled in the art will know that a metabolic alteration exemplified in one organism can be applied equally to other organisms.

Production of Transgenic Host for Producing 4HB

Transgenic (recombinant) hosts for producing PHB-co-4HB are genetically engineered using conventional techniques known in the art. The genes cloned and/or assessed for host strains producing PHB-co-4HB are presented below in Table 1A, along with the appropriate Enzyme Commission number (EC number) and references. Some genes were synthesized for codon optimization while others were cloned via PCR from the genomic DNA of the native or wild-type host. As used herein, “heterologous” means from another host. The host can be the same or different species. FIG. 1 is an exemplary pathway for producing PHB-co-4HB.

TABLE 1A Genes overproduced or deleted in microbial host strains producing PHB-co- 4HB, in accordance with FIG. 1. A star (*) after the gene name denotes that the nucleotide sequence was optimized for expression in E. coli. Reaction number EC Accession No. (FIG. 1) Gene Name Enzyme Name Number or Reference 1 phaA5 Acetyl-CoA 2.3.1.9 2VU2_A acetyltransferase (a.k.a. beta-ketothiolase) 2 phaB5 Acetoacetyl-CoA 1.1.1.36 P23238 reductase 3 sucD* Succinate semialdehyde 1.2.1.76 Gene/Protein dehydrogenase ID 1; U.S. Patent Appl. No. 2011/024612 4 kgdM Alpha-ketoglutarate 4.1.1.71 NP_335730 decarboxylase 4 kgdP Alpha-ketoglutarate 4.1.1.n YP_004335105 decarboxylase 4 kgdS 2-Oxoglutarate 4.1.1.n ACB00744.1 decarboxylase 5 ssaR_(At)* Succinic semialdehyde 1.1.1.61 Gene/Protein reductase ID 2; U.S. Patent Appl. No. 2011/024612 5 fucO_(I6L-L7V) L-1,2-propanediol 1.1.1.77 Gene/Protein oxidoreductase ID 3 6 orfZ CoA transferase 2.8.3.n AAA92344 6 orfZ150 CoA transferase 2.8.3.n NP_904965 7 buk1 Butyrate kinase I 2.7.2.7 NP_349675 7 buk2 Butyrate kinase II 2.7.2.7 NP_348286 8 ptb Phosphotransbutyrylase 2.3.1.19 NP_349676 9 phaC3/C5 Polyhydroxyalkanoate 2.3.1.n Gene/Protein synthase fusion ID 4; U.S. protein Pat. No. 6,316,262; U.S. Patent Appl. No. 20100168481 A1 9 phaC3/C1* Polyhydroxyalkanoate 2.3.1.n Gene/Protein synthase fusion ID 5; U.S. protein Patent Appl. No. 2011/024612 9 phaC3/C33 Polyhydroxyalkanoate 2.3.1.n Gene/Protein synthase fusion ID 6 protein 10 yneI Succinate-semialdehyde 1.2.1.24 NP_416042 dehydrogenase, NAD+- dependent 10 gabD Succinate-semialdehyde 1.2.1.16 NP_417147 dehydrogenase, NADP+- dependent 10 astD Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1.2.1.71 NP_416260 11 ppc_(Ec) Phosphoenolpyruvate 4.1.1.31 NP_418391 carboxylase 12 tesA Multifunctional 3.1.1.5, NP_415027 acyl-CoA 3.1.2.14 thioesterase I and protease I and lysophospholipase L1 12 tesB Thioesterase II 3.1.2.20 ZP_08342109 12 yciA Acyl-CoA thioesterase 3.1.2.20 NP_415769

Other proteins capable of catalyzing the reactions listed in Table 1A can be discovered by consulting the scientific literature, patents, BRENDA searches (http://www.brenda-enzymes.info/), and/or by BLAST searches against e.g., nucleotide or protein databases at NCBI (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). Synthetic genes can then be created to provide an easy path from sequence databases to physical DNA. Such synthetic genes are designed and fabricated from the ground up, using codons to enhance heterologous protein expression, and optimizing characteristics needed for the expression system and host. Companies such as e.g., DNA 2.0 (Menlo Park, Calif. 94025, USA) will provide such routine service. Proteins that may catalyze some of the biochemical reactions listed in Table 1A are provided in Tables 1B through 1X.

TABLE 1B Suitable homologues for the PhaA5 protein (beta-ketothiolase, from Zoogloea ramigera, EC No. 2.3.1.9, which acts on acetyl-CoA + acetyl-CoA to produce acetoacetyl-CoA; protein acc. no. 2VU2_A). Protein Accession Protein Name No. acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase YP_002827756 acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase YP_002283310 acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase YP_002733453 acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase ZP_01011874 acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase ZP_00961105 acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase YP_426557 acetyl-Coenzyme A acetyltransferase 3 NP_694791 acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase YP_003153095 Acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase CCF95917 acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase ZP_07454459

TABLE 1C Suitable homologues for the PhaB5 protein (acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, from Zoogloea ramigera, EC No. 1.1.1.36, which acts on acetoacetyl-CoA to produce 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA; protein acc. no. P23238). Protein Accession Protein Name No. acetoacetyl-CoA reductase YP_002827755 phaB gene product YP_770184 acetoacetyl-CoA reductase ZP_08627619 molybdopterin-guanine dinucleotide ZP_01901796 biosynthesis protein A acetoacetyl-CoA reductase YP_006369576 putative acetoacetyl-CoA reductase PhaB ZP_09394630 acetoacetyl-CoA reductase YP_001352246 acetoacetyl-CoA reductase ZP_02467262 acetoacetyl-CoA reductase ZP_01985557

TABLE 1D Suitable homologues for the SucD protein (succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, from Clostridium kluyveri, EC No. 1.2.1.76, which acts on succinyl-CoA to produce succinate semialdehyde; protein acc. no. YP_001396394). Protein Accession Protein Name No. CoA-dependent succinate semialdehyde AAA92347 dehydrogenase succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase ZP_06559980 [NAD(P)+] succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase ZP_05401724 [NAD(P)+] aldehyde-alcohol dehydrogenase family protein ZP 07821123 succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase ZP_06983179 [NAD(P)+] succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_001928839 hypothetical protein CLOHYLEM_05349 ZP_03778292 succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_003994018 [NAD(P)+] succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase NP_904963

TABLE 1E Suitable homologues for the KgdM protein (alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase, from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, EC No. 4.1.1.71, which acts on alpha-ketoglutarate to produce succinate semialdehyde and carbon dioxide; protein acc. no. NP_335730). Protein Accession Protein Name No. alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase YP_001282558 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase NP_854934 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase sucA ZP_06454135 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase sucA ZP_04980193 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase NP_961470 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase Kgd YP_001852457 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase NP_301802 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase ZP_05215780 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase YP_001702133

TABLE 1F Suitable homologues for the KgdP protein (Alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase, from Pseudonocardia dioxanivorans CB1190, EC No. 4.1.1.n, which acts on alpha-ketoglutarate to produce succinate semialdehyde and carbon dioxide; protein acc. no. YP_004335105). Protein Accession Protein Name No. alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase ZP_08119245 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, E1 component ZP_09743222 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase YP_705947 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase NP_961470 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase ZP_08024348 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase YP_003343675 kgd gene product NP_737800 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex, YP_004223349 dehydrogenase (E1) component oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (succinyl- EJF35718 transferring), E1 component

TABLE 1G Suitable homologues for the KgdS protein (2-oxoglutarate decarboxylase, from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, EC No. 4.1.1.n, which acts on alpha-ketoglutarate to produce succinate semialdehyde and carbon dioxide; protein acc. no. ACB00744.1). Protein Accession Protein Name No. alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase YP_001282558 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase NP_854934 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase sucA ZP_06454135 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase sucA ZP_04980193 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase NP_961470 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase Kgd YP_001852457 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase NP_301802 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase ZP_05215780 alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase YP_001702133

TABLE 1H Suitable homologues for the SsaR_(At) protein (succinic semialdehyde reductase, from Arabidopsis thaliana, EC No. 1.1.1.61, which acts on succinate semialdehyde to produce 4-hydroxybutyrate; protein acc. no. AAK94781). Protein Accession Protein Name No. 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase NAD- XP_002885728 binding domain-containing protein hypothetical protein isoform 1 XP_002266252 predicted protein XP_002320548 hypothetical protein isoform 2 XP_002266296 unknown ACU22717 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase, putative XP_002524571 unknown ABK22179 unknown ACJ85049 predicted protein XP_001784857

TABLE 1I Suitable homologues for the FucO_(I6L-L7V) protein (L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase, from Escherichia coli str. K-12 substr. MG1655, EC No. 1.1.1.77, which acts on succinate semialdehyde to produce 4-hydroxybutyrate). Protein Accession Protein Name No. L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase YP_001459571 lactaldehyde reductase ZP_12475782 L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase YP_001455658 lactaldehyde reductase ZP_17109585 L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase YP_003294352 L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase YP_002988900 L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase ZP_09185179 lactaldehyde reductase ZP_06759418 alcohol dehydrogenase ZP_05943499

TABLE 1J Suitable homologues for the OrfZ protein (CoA transferase, from Clostridium kluyveri DSM 555, EC No. 2.8.3.n, which acts on 4-hydroxybutyrate to produce 4-hydroxybutyryl CoA; protein acc. no. AAA92344). Protein Accession Protein Name No. 4-hydroxybutyrate coenzyme A transferase YP_001396397 acetyl-CoA hydrolase/transferase ZP_05395303 acetyl-CoA hydrolase/transferase YP_001309226 4-hydroxybutyrate coenzyme A transferase NP_781174 4-hydroxybutyrate coenzyme A transferase ZP_05618453 acetyl-CoA hydrolase/transferase ZP_05634318 4-hydroxybutyrate coenzyme A transferase ZP_00144049 hypothetical protein ANASTE_01215 ZP_02862002 4-hydroxybutyrate coenzyme A transferase ZP_07455129

TABLE 1K Suitable homologues for the OrfZ150 protein (CoA transferase, from Porphyromonas gingivalis W83, EC No. 2.8.3.n, which acts on 4-hydroxybutyrate to produce 4-hydroxybutyryl CoA; protein acc. no. NP_904965). Protein Accession Protein Name No. 4-hydroxybutyrate CoA-transferase YP_005014371 hypothetical protein FUAG_02467 ZP_10973595 acetyl-CoA hydrolase/transferase ZP_10325539 4-hydroxybutyrate coenzyme A transferase ZP_10895308 4-hydroxybutyrate CoA-transferase ZP_15973607 acetyl-CoA hydrolase/transferase YP_003639307 4-hydroxybutyrate coenzyme A transferase ZP_08514074 succinyl:benzoate coenzyme A transferase YP_006721017 4-hydroxybutyrate CoA-transferase YP_003961374

TABLE 1L Suitable homologues for the Buk1 protein (butyrate kinase I, from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC824, EC No. 2.7.2.7, which acts on 4-hydroxybutyrate to produce 4-hydroxybutyryl phosphate). Protein Accession Protein Name No. butyrate kinase YP_001788766 butyrate kinase YP_697036 butyrate kinase YP_003477715 butyrate kinase YP_079736 acetate and butyrate kinase ZP_01667571 butyrate kinase YP_013985 butyrate kinase ZP_04670620 butyrate kinase ZP_04670188 butyrate kinase ZP_07547119

TABLE 1M Suitable homologues for the Buk2 protein (butyrate kinase II, from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC824, EC No. 2.7.2.7, which acts on 4-hydroxybutyrate to produce 4-hydroxybutyryl phosphate). Protein Accession Protein Name No. butyrate kinase YP_001311072 hypothetical protein CLOSPO_00144 ZP_02993103 hypothetical protein COPEUT_01429 ZP_02206646 butyrate kinase EFR5649 butyrate kinase ZP_0720132 butyrate kinase YP_0029418 butyrate kinase YP_002132418 butyrate kinase ZP_05389806 phosphate butyryltransferase ADQ27386

TABLE 1N Suitable homologues for the Ptb protein (phosphotransbutyrylase, from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC824, EC No. 2.3.1.19, which acts on 4-hydroxybutyryl phosphate to produce 4-hydroxybutyryl CoA). Protein Accession Protein Name No. phosphate butyryltransferase YP_001884531 hypothetical protein COPCOM_01477 ZP_03799220 phosphate butyryltransferase YP_00331697 phosphate butyryltransferase YP_004204177 phosphate acetyl/butyryltransferase ZP_05265675 putative phosphate acetyl/butyryltransferase ZP_05283680 bifunctional enoyl-CoA hydratase/phosphate YP_426556 acetyltransferase hypothetical protein CLOBOL_07039 ZP_02089466 phosphate butyryltransferase YP_003564887

TABLE 1O Suitable homologues for the PhaC3/C5 protein (Polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase fusion protein from Pseudomonas putida and Zoogloea ramigera, EC No. 2.3.1.n, which acts on (R)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA or 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA + [(R)-3-hydroxybutanoate-co-4-hydroxybutanoate]_(n) to produce [(R)-3-hydroxybutanoate-co-4-hydroxybutanoate]_((n+1)) + CoA and also acts on 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA + [4-hydroxybutanoate]_(n) to produce [4-hydroxybutanoate]_((n+1)) + CoA). Protein Accession Protein Name No. PHB polymerase AAB06755 polyhydroxyalkanoic acid synthase ZP_10443466 poly(R)-hydroxyalkanoic acid synthase, class I ZP_10719804 poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) polymerase PhaC YP_004685292 poly(R)-hydroxyalkanoic acid synthase, class I ZP_02382303 poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate polymerase YP_003977718 phaC2 gene product YP_583821 poly(R)-hydroxyalkanoic acid synthase YP_001003639 poly(R)-hydroxyalkanoic acid synthase YP_283333

TABLE 1P Suitable homologues for the PhaC3/C1 protein (Polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase fusion protein from Pseudomonas putida and Ralstonia eutropha JMP134, EC No. 2.3.1.n, which acts on (R)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA or 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA + [(R)-3-hydroxybutanoate-co-4-hydroxybutanoate]_(n) to produce [(R)-3-hydroxybutanoate-co-4-hydroxybutanoate]_((n+1)) + CoA and also acts on 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA + [4-hydroxybutanoate]_(n) to produce [4-hydroxybutanoate]_((n+1)) + CoA). Protein Accession Protein Name No. Poly(R)-hydroxyalkanoic acid synthase, class I YP_295561 Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) polymerase YP_725940 polyhydroxyalkanoic acid synthase AAW65074 polyhydroxyalkanoic acid synthase YP_002005374 Poly(R)-hydroxyalkanoic acid synthase, class I YP_583508 intracellular polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase ADM24646 Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) polymerase ZP_00942942 polyhydroxyalkanoic acid synthase YP_003752369 PhaC AAF23364

TABLE 1Q Suitable homologues for the PhaC3/C33 protein (Polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase fusion protein from Pseudomonas putida and Delftia acidovorans 89-11-102, EC No. 2.3.1.n, which acts on (R)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA or 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA + [(R)-3-hydroxybutanoate-co-4-hydroxybutanoate]_(n) to produce [(R)-3-hydroxybutanoate-co-4-hydroxybutanoate]_((n+1)) + CoA and also acts on 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA + [4-hydroxybutanoate]_(n) to produce [4-hydroxybutanoate]_((n+1)) + CoA). Protein Accession Protein Name No. polyhydroxybutyrate synthase AAL17611 poly(R)-hydroxyalkanoic acid synthase, class I ZP_04764634 poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate polymerase protein CAQ36337 poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate polymerase YP_004360851 poly(R)-hydroxyalkanoic acid synthase, class I ZP_08961344 poly(R)-hydroxyalkanoic acid synthase YP_983028 polyhydroxyalkanoic acid synthase EGF41868 Poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate polymerase ZP_02489627 polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase ABN71571

TABLE 1R Suitable homologues for the YneI (Sad) protein (succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, NAD+-dependent, from Escherichia coli str. K-12 substr. MG1655, EC No. 1.2.1.24, which acts on glutarate semialdehyde (succinic semialdehyde) to produce glutarate (succinate); Protein acc. no. NP_416042 (Fuhrer et al., J Bacteriol. 2007 November; 189(22): 8073-8. Dennis and Valentin, U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,658)). Protein Accession Protein Name No. succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase NP_805238 putative aldehyde dehydrogenase YP_002919404 aldehyde dehydrogenase NP_745295 aldehyde dehydrogenase ZP_03269266 aldehyde dehydrogenase ZP_05726943 aldehyde dehydrogenase YP_001906721 hypothetical protein BAF01627 aldehyde dehydrogenase ZP_03739186 succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase NP_637690

TABLE 1S Suitable homologues for the GabD protein (succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, NADP+-dependent, from Escherichia coli str. K-12 substr. MG1655, EC No. 1.2.1.20, which acts on glutarate semialdehyde (or succinic semialdehyde) to produce glutarate (or succinate); Protein acc. no. NP_417147 (Riley et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 34 (1), 1-9 (2006))). Protein Accession Protein Name No. succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase I ZP_05433422 succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_001744810 (NAD(P)(+)) hypothetical protein CIT292_04137 ZP_03838093 succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_002638371 succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase I YP_001333939 succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase I NP_742381 succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_002932123 [NADP+] (ssdh) succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_001951927 succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_298405

TABLE 1T Suitable homologues for the AstD protein (aldehyde dehydrogenase From Escherichia coli K-12 substr. MG1655, EC No. 1.2.1.71, which acts on succinate semialdehyde to produce succinate); Protein acc. no. NP_416260. Protein Accession Protein Name No. succinylglutamic semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_002382476 hypothetical protein D186_18882 ZP_16280274 succinylglutamic semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_003942089 succinylglutamate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase ZP_16225314 succinylglutamic semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_005933902 AstD succinylglutamic semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_005431041 succinylglutamic semialdehyde dehydrogenase ZP_10352779 succinylglutamic semialdehyde dehydrogenase ZP_10036944 succinylglutamic semialdehyde dehydrogenase YP_004730031

TABLE 1U Suitable homologues for the Ppc protein (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, from Escherichia coli str. K-12 substr. MG1655, EC No. 4.1.1.31, which acts on phosphoenolpyruvate and carbon dioxide to produce oxaloacetate; protein acc. no. NP_418391). Protein Accession Protein Name No. phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase ZP_02904134 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase YP_002384844 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase YP_003367228 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase ZP_02345134 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase ZP_04558550 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase YP_003615503 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase YP_002241183 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase CBK84190 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase YP_003208553

TABLE 1V Suitable homologues for the TesA protein (multifunctional acyl-CoA thioesterase I and protease I and lysophospholipase L1, from Escherichia coli K-12 substr. MG1655, EC No. 3.1.1.5 and 3.1.2.14, which acts on 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA to produce 4-hydroxybutyrate; protein acc. no. NP_415027). Protein Accession Protein Name No. multifunctional acyl-CoA thioesterase I/ ZP_16276771 protease I/lysophospholipase L1 multifunctional acyl-CoA thioesterase I/ YP_001175703 protease I/lysophospholipase L1 tesA; acyl-CoA thioesterase I ZP_06549555 Arylesterase precursor ZP_16338589 multifunctional acyl-CoA thioesterase I/ YP_006343946 protease I/lysophospholipase L1 lysophospholipase YP_002986681 multifunctional acyl-CoA thioesterase I and YP_049328 protease I and lysophospholipase L1 multifunctional acyl-CoA thioesterase I and ZP_10113091 protease I and lysophospholipase L1 hypothetical protein PROSTU_03568 ZP_02997848

TABLE 1W Suitable homologues for the TesB protein (thioesterase II, from Escherichia coli K-12 substr. MG1655, EC No. 3.1.2.20, which acts on 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA to produce 4-hydroxybutyrate; protein acc. no. ZP_08342109). Protein Accession Protein Name No. acyl-CoA thioesterase II ZP_09460164 acyl-CoA thioesterase NP_455062 acyl-CoA thioesterase II ZP_10490626 acyl-CoA thioesterase II TesB YP_005196718 acyl-CoA thioesterase II YP_002649594 acyl-CoA thioesterase II (TEII) NP_931060 Acyl-CoA thioesterase II ZP_01217095 acyl-CoA thioesterase II ZP_10142747 acyl-CoA thioesterase II ZP_10354000

TABLE 1X Suitable homologues for the YciA protein (acyl-CoA thioesterase, from Escherichia coli K-12 substr. MG1655, EC No. 3.1.2.20, which acts on 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA to produce 4-hydroxybutyrate; protein acc. no. NP_415769). Protein Accession Protein Name No. acyl-CoA thioester hydrolase YP_002382845 acyl-CoA thioester hydrolase YP_001570262 thioesterase superfamily protein YP_005019613 acyl-CoA thioester hydrolase YP_050409 acyl-CoA thioester hydrolase YP_002151085 acyl-CoA thioester hydrolase YciA NP_777876 hypothetical protein VC1701 NP_231337 thioesterase superfamily protein YP_002893359 acyl-CoA thioester hydrolase ZP_11128814

Suitable Extrachromosomal Vectors and Plasmids

A “vector,” as used herein, is an extrachromosomal replicon, such as a plasmid, phage, or cosmid, into which another DNA segment may be inserted so as to bring about the replication of the inserted segment. Vectors vary in copy number, depending on their origin of replication, and size. Vectors with different origins of replication can be propagated in the same microbial cell unless they are closely related such as pMB1 and ColE1. Suitable vectors to express recombinant proteins can constitute pUC vectors with a pMB1 origin of replication having 500-700 copies per cell, pBluescript vectors with a ColE1 origin of replication having 300-500 copies per cell, pBR322 and derivatives with a pMB1 origin of replication having 15-20 copies per cell, pACYC and derivatives with a p15A origin of replication having 10-12 copies per cell, and pSC101 and derivatives with a pSC101 origin of replication having about 5 copies per cell as described in the QIAGEN® Plasmid Purification Handbook (found on the world wide web at: //kirshner.med.harvard.edu/files/protocols/QIAGEN_QIAGENPlasmidPurification_EN.pdf). A widely used vector is pSE380 that allows recombinant gene expression from an IPTG-inducible trc promoter (Invitrogen, La Jolla, Calif.).

Suitable Strategies and Expression Control Sequences for Recombinant Gene Expression

Strategies for achieving expression of recombinant genes in E. coli have been extensively described in the literature (Gross, Chimica Oggi 7(3):21-29 (1989); Olins and Lee, Cur. Op. Biotech. 4:520-525 (1993); Makrides, Microbiol. Rev. 60(3):512-538 (1996); Hannig and Makrides, Trends in Biotech. 16:54-60 (1998)). Expression control sequences can include constitutive and inducible promoters, transcription enhancers, transcription terminators, and the like which are well known in the art. Suitable promoters include, but are not limited to, P_(lac), P_(tac), P_(trc), P_(R), P_(L), P_(phoA), P_(ara), P_(uspA), P_(rpsU), P_(syn) (Rosenberg and Court, Ann. Rev. Genet. 13:319-353 (1979); Hawley and McClure, Nucl. Acids Res. 11 (8):2237-2255 (1983); Harley and Raynolds, Nucl. Acids Res. 15:2343-2361 (1987); also at the world wide web at ecocyc.org and partsregistry.org).

Exemplary promoters are:

(SEQ ID NO: 1) P_(synA)(5′-TTGACAGCTAGCTCAGTCCTAGGTATAATGCTAGC-3′),  (SEQ ID NO: 2) P_(synC)(5′-TTGACAGCTAGCTCAGTCCTAGGTACTGTGCTAGC-3′), (SEQ ID NO: 3) P_(synE)(5′-TTTACAGCTAGCTCAGTCCTAGGTATTATGCTAGC-3′),  (SEQ ID NO: 4) P_(synH)(5′-CTGACAGCTAGCTCAGTCCTAGGTATAATGCTAGC-3′),  (SEQ ID NO: 5) P_(synK)(5′-TTTACGGCTAGCTCAGTCCTAGGTACAATGCTAGC-3′),  (SEQ ID NO: 6) P_(synM)(5′-TTGACAGCTAGCTCAGTCCTAGGGACTATGCTAGC-3′),  (SEQ ID NO: 7) P_(x)(5′-TCGCCAGTCTGGCCTGAACATGATATAAAAT-3′),  (SEQ ID NO: 8) P_(uspA)(5′-AACCACTATCAATATATTCATGTCGAAAATTTGTTTATCTA ACGAGTAAGCAAGGCGGATTGACGGATCATCCGGGTCGCTATAAGGTAA GGATGGTCTTAACACTGAATCCTTACGGCTGGGTTAGCCCCGCGCACGT AGTTCGCAGGACGCGGGTGACGTAACGGCACAAGAAACG-3'), (SEQ ID NO: 9) P_(rpsU)(5′-ATGCGGGTTGATGTAAAACTTTGTTCGCCCCTGGAGAAAG CCTCGTGTATACTCCTCACCCTTATAAAAGTCCCTTTCAAAAAAGGCCG ACGGTGCTTTACAAAGCAGCAGCAATTGCAGTAAATTCCGCACCATTTT  GAAATAAGCTGGCGTTGATGCCAGCGGCAAAC-3′), (SEQ ID NO: 10) P_(synAF7)(5′-TTGACAGCTAGCTCAGTCCTAGGTACAGTGCTAGC-3′),  and  (SEQ ID NO: 11) P_(synAF3)(5′-TTGACAGCTAGCTCAGTCCTAGGTACAATGCTAGC-3′).

Exemplary terminators are:

(SEQ ID NO: 12:) T_(trpL)(5′-CTAATGAGCGGGCTTTTTTTTGAACAAAA-3′),  (SEQ ID NO: 13) T₁₀₀₆(5′-AAAAAAAAAAAACCCCGCTTCGGCGGGGTTTTTTTTTT- 3′), (SEQ ID NO: 14) T_(rrnB1)(5′-ATAAAACGAAAGGCTCAGTCGAAAGACTGGGCCTTTCGTT TTAT-3′), and (SEQ ID NO: 15) T_(rrnB2)(5′-AGAAGGCCATCCTGACGGATGGCCTTTT-3′).

Construction of Recombinant Hosts

Recombinant hosts containing the necessary genes that will encode the enzymatic pathway for the conversion of a carbon substrate to PHB-co-4HB may be constructed using techniques well known in the art.

Methods of obtaining desired genes from a source organism (host) are common and well known in the art of molecular biology. Such methods are described in, for example, Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Third Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York (2001); Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley and Sons, Baltimore, Md. (1999). For example, if the sequence of the gene is known, the DNA may be amplified from genomic DNA using polymerase chain reaction (Mullis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202) with primers specific to the gene of interest to obtain amounts of DNA suitable for ligation into appropriate vectors. Alternatively, the gene of interest may be chemically synthesized de novo in order to take into consideration the codon bias of the host organism to enhance heterologous protein expression. Expression control sequences such as promoters and transcription terminators can be attached to a gene of interest via polymerase chain reaction using engineered primers containing such sequences. Another way is to introduce the isolated gene into a vector already containing the necessary control sequences in the proper order by restriction endonuclease digestion and ligation. One example of this latter approach is the BioBrick™ technology (www.biobricks.org) where multiple pieces of DNA can be sequentially assembled together in a standardized way by using the same two restriction sites.

In addition to using vectors, genes that are necessary for the enzymatic conversion of a carbon substrate to PHB-co-4HB can be introduced into a host organism by integration into the chromosome using either a targeted or random approach. For targeted integration into a specific site on the chromosome, the method generally known as Red/ET recombineering is used as originally described by Datsenko and Wanner (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2000, 97, 6640-6645). Random integration into the chromosome involves using a mini-Tn5 transposon-mediated approach as described by Huisman et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,316,262 and 6,593,116).

Culturing of Host to Produce PHB-co-4HB Biomass

In general, the recombinant host is cultured in a medium with a carbon source and other essential nutrients to produce the PHB-co-4HB biomass by fermentation techniques either in batches or using continuously operating methods known in the art. Additional additives can also be included, for example, antifoaming agents and the like for achieving desired growth conditions. Fermentation is particularly useful for large scale production. An exemplary method uses bioreactors for culturing and processing the fermentation broth to the desired product. Other techniques such as separation techniques can be combined with fermentation for large scale and/or continuous production.

As used herein, the term “feedstock” refers to a substance used as a carbon raw material in an industrial process. When used in reference to a culture of organisms such as microbial or algae organisms such as a fermentation process with cells, the term refers to the raw material used to supply a carbon or other energy source for the cells. Carbon sources useful for the production of PHB-co-4HB include simple, inexpensive sources, for example, glucose, levoglucosan, sucrose, lactose, fructose, xylose, maltose, arabinose, and the like alone or in combination. In other embodiments, the feedstock is molasses, starch, a fatty acid, a vegetable oil, a lignocellulosic material, and the like, again alone or in combination. In still other embodiments the feedstock can be ethanol, acetic acid, glycerol, and the like, alone or in combination. It is also possible to use organisms to produce the PHB-co-4HB biomass that grow on synthesis gas (CO₂, CO and hydrogen) produced from renewable biomass resources, i.e. a biomass-derived synthesis gas, and/or methane originating from a landfill gas.

Introduction of PHB-co-4HB pathway genes allows for flexibility in utilizing readily available and inexpensive feedstocks. A “renewable” feedstock refers to a renewable energy source such as material derived from living organisms or their metabolic byproducts including material derived from biomass, often consisting of underutilized components like chaff or stover. Agricultural products specifically grown for use as renewable feedstocks include, for example, corn, soybeans, switchgrass and trees such as poplar, wheat, flaxseed and rapeseed, sugar cane and palm oil. As renewable sources of energy and raw materials, agricultural feedstocks based on crops are the ultimate replacement for declining oil reserves. Plants use solar energy and carbon dioxide fixation to make thousands of complex and functional biochemicals beyond the current capability of modern synthetic chemistry. These include fine and bulk chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, flavonoids, vitamins, perfumes, polymers, resins, oils, food additives, bio-colorants, adhesives, solvents, and lubricants.

Extraction of PHB-co-4HB Copolymers from Biomass

PHB-co-4HB copolymer was extracted as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,713,720 and 7,252,980.

Molecular Weight Determination Using Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)

Molecular weight of PHA is estimated by Gel Permeation Chromatography using a Waters Alliance HPLC System equipped with a refractive index detector. The column set is a series of three PLGel 10 μm Mixed-B (Polymer Labs, Amherst, Mass.) columns with chloroform as mobile phase pumped at 1 ml/min. The column set is calibrated with narrow distribution polystyrene standards. The PHA sample is dissolved in chloroform at a concentration of 2.0 mg/ml at 60° C. The sample is filtered with a 0.2 μm Teflon syringe filter. A 50 μ-liter injection volume is used for the analysis. The chromatogram is analyzed with Waters Empower GPC Analysis software. Molecular weights are reported as polystyrene equivalent molecular weights.

Measurement of Thermal Properties

The glass transition of PHB-co-4HB copolymers was measured using a TA Instruments Q100 Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) with autosampler. 8-12 mg of a PHA sample was carefully weighed into an aluminum pan and sealed with an aluminum lid. The sample was then placed in the DSC under a nitrogen purge and analyzed using a heat-cool-heat cycle. The heating/cooling range was −80° C. to 200° C. with a heating rate of 10° C./min and cooling rate of 5° C./min.

Determination of Biobased Content

The biobased content of the PHB-co-4HB copolymer was measured by radiocarbon dating based on ASTM D6866. ASTM D6866 is the method approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for determining the renewable/biobased content of natural range materials. The method provides a percentage determination of fossil carbon content versus renewable or biomass carbon content of a product or fuel blend. ASTM D6866 is used extensively to certify the biobased content of bioplastics.

Example 1 Production of PHB-Co-4HB with 50% or Higher 4HB Co-Monomer Content from Glucose as Sole Carbon Source

This example shows PHB-co-4HB production with 50% or higher 4HB co-monomer content from glucose as sole carbon source in engineered E. coli host cells. The strains used in this example are listed in Table 2. All these strains were constructed using the well-known biotechnology tools and methods described above. They all contained chromosomal deletions of yneI and gabD with the exception of strains 31 and 32 which also contained chromosomal deletions of tesB, tesA, yciA, and astD.

TABLE 2 Strains used in Example 1. Strains Operon Configuration 31 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-P_(uspA)-sucD-ssaR, P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5, P_(syn1)-kgdS-T₁₀₀₆-P_(rpsU)-fucO_(I6L-L7V)-orfZ150, P_(rpsU)::orfZ 32 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-P_(uspA)-sucD-ssaR, P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5, P_(synAF7)-kgdS-T₁₀₀₆-P_(rpsU)-fucO_(I6L-L7V)-orfZ150, P_(rpsU)::orfZ 16 P_(x)-phaC3/C1*-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-T₁₀₀₆-P_(synH)-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 17 P_(x)-phaC3/C1*-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-T₁₀₀₆-P_(synA)-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 19 P_(x)-phaC3/C1*-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-T₁₀₀₆-P_(SynM)-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 1 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-sucD*-ssaR_(At)*, P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 20 P_(x)-phaC3/C1*-P_(uspA)-sucD*-ssaR_(At)*, P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 33 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-P_(uspA)-sucD-ssaR, P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5; P_(synAF3)-kgdS-T₁₀₀₆-P_(rpsU)-fucO_(I6L-L7V)-orfZ150, P_(rpsU)::orfZ

The strains were evaluated in a shake plate assay. The production medium consisted of 1×E2 minimal salts, 1×E0 minimal salts, 5 mM MgSO₄, and 1× Trace Salts Solution. The carbon source consisted of 40 g/L glucose for strains 31, 32, and 33, whereas for all other strains in Examples 1 to 5, glucose concentration was 20 g/L. 50×E2 stock solution consists of 1.28 M NaNH₄HPO₄.4H₂O, 1.64 M K₂HPO₄, and 1.36 M KH₂PO₄. 50×E0 stock solution consists of 1.28 M Na₂HPO₄, 1.64 M K₂HPO₄ and 1.36 M KH₂PO₄. 1000× Trace Salts Solution is prepared by adding per 1 L of 1.5 N HCl: 50 g FeSO₄.7H₂O, 11 g ZnSO₄.7H₂O, 2.5 g MnSO₄.4H₂O, 5 g CuSO₄.5H₂O, 0.5 g (NH₄)₆Mo₇O₂₄.4H₂O, 0.1 g Na₂B₄O₇, and 10 g CaCl₂.2H₂O.

To examine production of PHB-co-4HB, the strains were cultured in triplicate overnight in sterile tubes containing 3 mL of LB and appropriate antibiotics. After culturing was complete, 60 μL was removed from a tube and then added to 1440 μL of production medium. The resulting 1500 μL cultures were then added to three wells of a Duetz deep-well plate as 500 μL aliquots. The shake plate was incubated at 37° C. with shaking for 6 hours and then shifted to 30° C. for 40 hours with shaking for all strains in Examples 1 to 5, except for strains 31, 32, and 33 which were incubated at 37° C. with shaking for 6 hours and then shifted to 28° C. for 42 hours with shaking. Thereafter, cultures from the three wells were combined (1.5 mL total) and analyzed for polymer content. At the end of the experiment, cultures were spun down at 4150 rpm, washed once with distilled water, frozen at −80° C. for at least 30 minutes, and lyophilized overnight. The next day, a measured amount of lyophilized cell pellet was added to a glass tube, followed by 3 mL of butanolysis reagent that consists of an equal volume mixture of 99.9% n-butanol and 4.0 N HCl in dioxane with 2 mg/mL diphenylmethane as internal standard. After capping the tubes, they were vortexed briefly and placed on a heat block set to 93° C. for six hours with periodic vortexing. Afterwards, the tube was cooled down to room temperature before adding 3 mL distilled water. The tube was vortexed for approximately 10 s before spinning down at 620 rpm (Sorvall Legend RT benchtop centrifuge) for 2 min. 1 mL of the organic phase was pipetted into a GC vial, which was then analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) (Hewlett-Packard 5890 Series II). The quantity of PHA in the cell pellet was determined by comparing against standard curves for both 3HB and 4HB (for PHB-co-4HB analysis). The 4HB standard curve was generated by adding different amounts of a 10% solution of γ-butyrolactone (GBL) in butanol to separate butanolysis reactions. The 3HB standard curve was generated by adding different amounts of 99% ethyl 3-hydroxybutyrate to separate butanolysis reactions.

All examinations for PHB-co-4HB production were performed in triplicate as indicated above. Some strains were examined for polymer production in this manner on different days. Representative results for each strain tested are shown in Table 3 and demonstrate that the % 4HB content for each copolymer composition was 50% or higher.

TABLE 3 PHB-co-4HB polymer production from microbial strains. Biomass Titer PHA Titer PHA Composition Strains (g/L) (g/L) (% 4HB) 31 6.6 ± 0.3 3.7* 84.6* 32 8.1 ± 0.1 4.8* 74.8* 16 7.2 ± 0.1 4.5 ± 0.0 69.7 ± 0.0 17 6.9 ± 0.1 4.3 ± 0.1 69.4 ± 0.5 19 7.0 ± 0.0 4.2 ± 0.1 65.8 ± 1.2 1 5.1 ± 0.1 2.9 ± 0.0 64.5 ± 0.7 20 5.6 ± 0.1 3.4 ± 0.1 63.9 ± 0.5 33 7.9 ± 0.2 3.2* 50.3* *replicate measurements not available

Example 2 Production of PHB-Co-4HB with 4HB Co-Monomer Content Between 40% and 50% from Glucose as Sole Carbon Source

This example shows PHB-co-4HB production with 4HB co-monomer content between 40 and 50% from glucose as sole carbon source in engineered E. coli host cells. The strains used in this example are listed in Table 4. All these strains were constructed using the well-known biotechnology tools and methods described above. They all contained chromosomal deletions of yneI and gabD.

TABLE 4 Strains used in Example 2. Strains Operon Configuration 23 P_(x)-phaC3/C33*-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 22 P_(x)-phaC3/C1*-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 21 P_(x)-phaC3/C1*-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-T₁₀₀₆-P_(synC)-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 2 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-T₁₀₀₆-P_(synC)-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 3 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-ssaR_(At)*-T₁₀₀₆-P_(synH)-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ

Strains were grown and polymer content was analyzed in the same manner as described in Example 1. Representative results for each strain tested are shown in Table 5 and demonstrate that the %4 HB content for each copolymer composition was between 40% and 50%.

TABLE 5 PHB-co-4HB polymer production from microbial strains. Biomass Titer PHA Titer PHA Composition Strains (g/L) (g/L) (% 4HB) 23 7.0 ± 0.1 4.7 ± 0.2 46.0 ± 3.0 22 6.6 ± 0.1 4.3 ± 0.1 43.6 ± 1.5 21 6.7 ± 0.2 4.0 ± 0.3 41.6 ± 1.3 2 4.7 ± 0.0 2.7 ± 0.1 41.5 ± 0.4 3 5.7 ± 0.0 3.5 ± 0.0 40.4 ± 1.2

Example 3 Production of PHB-Co-4HB with 4HB Co-Monomer Content Between 30% and 40% from Glucose as Sole Carbon Source

This example shows PHB-co-4HB production with 4HB co-monomer content between 30 and 40% from glucose as sole carbon source in engineered E. coli host cells. The strains used in this example are listed in Table 6. All these strains were constructed using the well-known biotechnology tools and methods described above. They all contained chromosomal deletions of yneI and gabD.

TABLE 6 Strains used in Example 3. Strains Operon Configuration 26 P_(uspA)-phaC3/C1*-phaA5-phaB5-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 4 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-ssaR_(At)*-T₁₀₀₆-P_(synM)-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 5 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-ssaR_(At)*-P_(syn1)-phaA5-phaB5-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 6 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-T1006-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 7 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 27 P_(x)-phaC3/C1*-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-T₁₀₀₆-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ

Strains were grown and polymer content was analyzed in the same manner as described in Example 1. Representative results for each strain tested are shown in Table 7 and demonstrate that the %4HB content for each copolymer composition was between 30% and 40%.

TABLE 7 PHB-co-4HB polymer production from microbial strains. Biomass Titer PHA Titer PHA Composition Strains (g/L) (g/L) (% 4HB) 26 7.7 ± 0.0 5.3 ± 0.1 39.3 ± 0.3 4 6.5 ± 0.1 4.3 ± 0.1 39.2 ± 1.6 5 5.9 ± 0.1 4.0 ± 0.2 35.9 ± 0.9 6 5.7 ± 0.2 2.8 ± 0.0 34.6 ± 2.1 7 6.1 ± 0.3 3.8 ± 0.1 32.2 ± 0.9 27 6.7 ± 0.2 4.0 ± 0.1 31.7 ± 1.3

Example 4 Production of PHB-Co-4HB with 4HB Co-Monomer Content Between 20% and 30% from Glucose as Sole Carbon Source

This example shows PHB-co-4HB production with 4HB co-monomer content between 20 and 30% from glucose as sole carbon source in engineered E. coli host cells. The strains used in this example are listed in Table 8. All these strains were constructed using the well-known biotechnology tools and methods described above. They all contained chromosomal deletions of yneI and gabD.

TABLE 8 Strains used in Example 4. Strains Operon Configuration 8 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-T₁₀₀₆-P_(synH)-ssaR_(At)*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 28 P_(syn1)-phaC1-P_(uspA)-sucD*-ssaR_(At)*-P_(syn1)-phaA5-phaB5, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 10 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-sucD*-ssaR_(At)*-P_(syn1)-phaA5-phaB5, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 25 P_(uspA)-phaC3/C1*-sucD*-ssaR_(At)*, P_(syn1)-phaA5-phaB5, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 9 P_(uspA)-phaC3/C5-phaA5-phaB5-ssaRA*-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 11 P_(x)-phaC3/C5, T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5, P_(rpsU)-orfZ, sucD*-ssaR_(At)* 29 P_(x)-phaC3/C1*-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-T₁₀₀₆-sucD*-ssaR_(At)*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ

Strains were grown and polymer content was analyzed in the same manner described in example 1. Representative results for each strain tested are shown in Table 9 and demonstrate that the %4HB content for each copolymer composition was between 20% and 30%.

TABLE 9 PHB-co-4HB polymer production from microbial strains. Biomass Titer PHA Titer PHA Composition Strains (g/L) (g/L) (% 4HB) 8 4.5 ± 0.1 2.2 ± 0.2 28.6 ± 2.6 28 5.6 ± 0.1 4.4 ± 0.1 27.5 ± 0.4 10 6.5 ± 0.0 4.3 ± 0.0 27.5 ± 0.3 25 6.4 ± 0.0 5.2 ± 0.1 26.3 ± 0.1 9 6.2 ± 0.0 3.9 ± 0.0 25.8 ± 0.3 11 5.4 ± 0.2 2.4 ± 0.2 24.7 ± 2.0 29 5.7 ± 0.2 3.0 ± 0.1 22.5 ± 0.8

Example 5 Production of PHB-Co-4HB with 4HB Co-Monomer Content Between 1% and 20% from Glucose as Sole Carbon Source

This example shows PHB-co-4HB production with 4HB co-monomer content between 1 and 20% from glucose as sole carbon source in engineered E. coli host cells. The strains used in this example are listed in Table 10. All these strains were constructed using the well-known biotechnology tools and methods described above. They all contained chromosomal deletions of yneI and gabD.

TABLE 10 Strains used in Example 5. Strains Operon Configuration 13 P_(x)-phaC3/C5, T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5, P_(rpsU)-orfZ, sucD*-ssaR_(At)* 12 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-T₁₀₀₆-sucD*-ssaR_(At)*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 14 P_(x)-phaC3/C5-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-ssaR_(At)*-T₁₀₀₆-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 30 P_(x)-phaC3/C1*-T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5-ssaR_(At)*-T₁₀₀₆-sucD*, P_(rpsU)-orfZ 15 P_(x)-phaC3/C5, T_(trpL)-P_(uspA)-phaA5-phaB5, P_(rpsU)-orfZ, sucD*-ssaR_(At)*

Strains were grown and polymer content was analyzed in the same manner described in example 1. Representative results for each strain tested are shown in Table 11 and demonstrate that the %4HB content for each copolymer composition was between 1% and 20%.

TABLE 11 PHB-co-4HB polymer production from microbial strains. Biomass Titer PHA Titer PHA Composition Strains (g/L) (g/L) (% 4HB) 13 5.4 ± 0.1 2.4 ± 0.1 18.8 ± 0.4  12 6.1 ± 0.1 3.2 ± 0.2 10.1 ± 0.7  14 5.4 ± 0.1 2.5 ± 0.1 6.4 ± 0.5 30 4.1 ± 0.2 1.7 ± 0.1 1.8 ± 0.3 15 4.5 ± 0.1 1.4 ± 0.1 1.4 ± 0.3

Example 6 Extraction of PHB-Co-4HB Copolymers and Determination of Molecular Weights and Polydispersity

For purification of larger amounts of PHB-co-4HB copolymers, strains 1, 5 and 12 with various PHA compositions as shown in Example 1 were first grown in 20 mL LB medium in 250 mL shake flasks at 37° C. overnight. The entire volume was then transferred into 1 L baffled shake flasks containing 500 mL of a production medium comprised of 1×E2 minimal salts, 1×E0 minimal salts, 5 mM MgSO4, 30 g/L glucose, and 1× Trace Salts Solution. E2 and E0 minimal salts and Trace Salts Solution are described in Example 1. The 500 mL cultures were incubated at 37° C. with shaking for 6 hours and then shifted to 28° C. for 70 hours with shaking. Thereafter, cultures were spun down at 6000×g, washed once with distilled water, frozen at −80° C. for at least 30 minutes, and lyophilized overnight.

The copolymer of strains 1, 5 and 12 were purified from dried biomass by first extracting with cyclo-hexanone at 65-70° C. for 30 min before spinning down at 2000×g for 5 min. Afterwards, the supernatant was decanted and mixed with an equal volume of heptane at 5-10° C. The resulting precipitated polymer was filtered and dried overnight at room temperature.

The molecular weights of the purified copolymers were determined using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using a Waters Alliance HPLC System. Table 12 shows the weight average molecular weights (Mw), the number average molecular weights (Mn), and the polydispersity index (PD) measured from the copolymers purified from strains 1, 5 and 12.

TABLE 12 Molecular weights and polydispersity of copolymers produced by strains 1, 5 and 12. Mw Mn Strains (g/mole) (g/mole) PD 1 950,040 537,150 1.769 5 1,227,939 659,590 1.862 12 1,271,813 636,416 1.998

Example 7 Determination of PHA Composition and Glass Transition Temperature of PHB-Co-4HB Copolymers

The copolymers purified from strains 1, 5 and 12 as described in Example 6 were used to determine the PHA composition as outlined in Example 1. The glass transition temperature (T_(g)) was measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Table 13 lists the 4HB content and the T_(g) measured from the copolymers purified from strains 1, 5 and 12. The glass transition temperature decreased with higher 4HB content in the copolymer.

TABLE 13 PHB-co-4HB polymer production and T_(g) measured from the copolymers purified from strains 1, 5 and 12. Biomass Titer PHA Titer PHA Composition T_(g) Strains (g/L) (g/L) (% 4HB) (° C.) 1 8.0 4.7 56 −25.93 5 10.0 6.6 33 −21.32 12 6.8 3.9 19 −12.93

Example 8 Determination of Biobased Content of a PHB-Co-4HB Copolymer

The copolymer purified from strain 1 as described in Example 6 was used to determine the biobased content by radiocarbon dating based on ASTM D6866 by Beta Analytic (Miami, Fla., USA). The purified copolymer from strain 1 was determined to contain a biobased content of 97%.

Example 9 Production of PHB-Co-4HB from Glycerol as the Sole Carbon Source

Strains 1 and 6 were grown and polymer content analyzed in the same manner as described in Example 1 with the exception that the carbohydrate fed was 30 g/L glycerol instead of 20 g/L glucose. A representative result for both strains is shown in Table 14.

TABLE 14 PHB-co-4HB polymer production from glycerol as the sole carbon source. Biomass Titer PHA Titer PHA Composition Strains (g/L) (g/L) (% 4HB) 1 5.5 ± 0.3 2.1 ± 0.1 45 ± 3 6 4.8 ± 0.2 1.5 ± 0.1 18 ± 2

Gene ID 001 Nucleotide Sequence: Clostridium kluyveri succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase gene sucD*

(SEQ ID NO: 16) ATGTCCAACGAGGTTAGCATTAAGGAGCTGATTGAGAAGGCGAAAGTGGC GCAGAAAAAGCTGGAAGCGTATAGCCAAGAGCAAGTTGACGTTCTGGTCA AGGCGCTGGGTAAAGTTGTGTACGACAACGCCGAGATGTTCGCGAAAGAG GCGGTGGAGGAAACCGAGATGGGTGTTTACGAGGATAAAGTGGCTAAATG TCATCTGAAATCTGGTGCAATCTGGAATCACATTAAAGATAAGAAAACCG TTGGTATTATCAAGGAAGAACCGGAGCGTGCGCTGGTGTACGTCGCGAAG CCTAAAGGTGTTGTGGCGGCGACGACCCCTATCACCAATCCTGTGGTTAC CCCGATGTGTAACGCGATGGCAGCAATTAAAGGTCGCAACACCATCATTG TCGCCCCGCATCCGAAGGCGAAGAAGGTGAGCGCGCACACCGTGGAGCTG ATGAATGCAGAACTGAAAAAGTTGGGTGCGCCGGAAAACATTATCCAGAT CGTTGAAGCCCCAAGCCGTGAAGCAGCCAAGGAGTTGATGGAGAGCGCAG ACGTGGTTATCGCCACGGGTGGCGCAGGCCGTGTTAAAGCAGCGTACTCC TCCGGCCGTCCGGCATACGGTGTCGGTCCGGGCAATTCTCAGGTCATTGT CGATAAGGGTTACGATTATAACAAAGCTGCCCAGGACATCATTACCGGCC GCAAGTATGACAACGGTATCATTTGCAGCTCTGAGCAGAGCGTGATCGCA CCGGCGGAGGACTACGACAAGGTCATCGCGGCTTTCGTCGAGAATGGCGC GTTCTATGTCGAGGATGAGGAAACTGTGGAGAAATTCCGTAGCACGCTGT TCAAGGATGGCAAGATCAATAGCAAAATCATCGGTAAATCCGTGCAGATC ATCGCTGACCTGGCTGGTGTCAAGGTGCCGGAAGGCACCAAGGTGATCGT GTTGAAGGGCAAGGGTGCCGGTGAAAAGGACGTTCTGTGCAAGGAGAAAA TGTGCCCGGTCCTGGTTGCCCTGAAATATGACACCTTTGAGGAGGCGGTC GAGATCGCGATGGCCAACTATATGTACGAGGGTGCGGGCCATACCGCCGG TATCCACAGCGATAACGACGAGAATATCCGCTACGCGGGTACGGTGCTGC CAATCAGCCGTCTGGTTGTCAACCAGCCAGCAACTACGGCCGGTGGTAGC TTTAACAATGGTTTTAATCCGACCACCACCTTGGGCTGCGGTAGCTGGGG CCGTAACTCCATTAGCGAGAACCTGACGTATGAGCATCTGATTAATGTCA GCCGTATTGGCTATTTCAATAAGGAGGCAAAAGTTCCTAGCTACGAGGAG ATCTGGGGTTAA

Gene ID 001 Amino Acid Sequence: Clostridium kluyveri succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase gene SucD*

(SEQ ID NO: 17) MSNEVSIKELIEKAKVAQKKLEAYSQEQVDVLVKALGKVVYDNAEMFAKE AVEETEMGVYEDKVAKCHLKSGAIWNHIKDKKTVGIIKEEPERALVYVAK PKGVVAATTPITNPVVTPMCNAMAAIKGRNTIIVAPHPKAKKVSAHTVEL MNAELKKLGAPENIIQIVEAPSREAAKELMESADVVIATGGAGRVKAAYS SGRPAYGVGPGNSQVIVDKGYDYNKAAQDIITGRKYDNGIICSSEQSVIA PAEDYDKVIAAFVENGAFYVEDEETVEKFRSTLFKDGKINSKIIGKSVQI IADLAGVKVPEGTKVIVLKGKGAGEKDVLCKEKMCPVLVALKYDTFEEAV EIAMANYMYEGAGHTAGIHSDNDENIRYAGTVLPISRLVVNQPATTAGGS FNNGFNPTTTLGCGSWGRNSISENLTYEHLINVSRIGYFNKEAKVPSYEE IWG

Gene ID 002 Nucleotide Sequence: Arabidopsis thaliana succinic semialdehyde reductase gene ssaR_(At)*

(SEQ ID NO: 18) ATGGAAGTAGGTTTTCTGGGTCTGGGCATTATGGGTAAAGCTATGTCCAT GAACCTGCTGAAAAACGGTTTCAAAGTTACCGTGTGGAACCGCACTCTGT CTAAATGTGATGAACTGGTTGAACACGGTGCAAGCGTGTGCGAGTCTCCG GCTGAGGTGATCAAGAAATGCAAATACACGATCGCGATGCTGAGCGATCC GTGTGCAGCTCTGTCTGTTGTTTTCGATAAAGGCGGTGTTCTGGAACAGA TCTGCGAGGGTAAGGGCTACATCGACATGTCTACCGTCGACGCGGAAACT AGCCTGAAAATTAACGAAGCGATCACGGGCAAAGGTGGCCGTTTTGTAGA AGGTCCTGTTAGCGGTTCCAAAAAGCCGGCAGAAGACGGCCAGCTGATCA TCCTGGCAGCAGGCGACAAAGCACTGTTCGAGGAATCCATCCCGGCCTTT GATGTACTGGGCAAACGTTCCTTTTATCTGGGTCAGGTGGGTAACGGTGC GAAAATGAAACTGATTGTTAACATGATCATGGGTTCTATGATGAACGCGT TTAGCGAAGGTCTGGTACTGGCAGATAAAAGCGGTCTGTCTAGCGACACG CTGCTGGATATTCTGGATCTGGGTGCTATGACGAATCCGATGTTCAAAGG CAAAGGTCCGTCCATGACTAAATCCAGCTACCCACCGGCTTTCCCGCTGA AACACCAGCAGAAAGACATGCGTCTGGCTCTGGCTCTGGGCGACGAAAAC GCTGTTAGCATGCCGGTCGCTGCGGCTGCGAACGAAGCCTTCAAGAAAGC CCGTAGCCTGGGCCTGGGCGATCTGGACTTTTCTGCTGTTATCGAAGCGG TAAAATTCTCTCGTGAATAA

Gene ID 002 Amino Acid Sequence: Arabidopsis thaliana succinic semialdehyde reductase gene SsaR_(At)*

(SEQ ID NO: 19) MEVGFLGLGIMGKAMSMNLLKNGFKVTVWNRTLSKCDELVEHGASVCESP AEVIKKCKYTIAMLSDPCAALSVVFDKGGVLEQICEGKGYIDMSTVDAET SLKINEAITGKGGRFVEGPVSGSKKPAEDGQLIILAAGDKALFEESIPAF DVLGKRSFYLGQVGNGAKMKLIVNMIMGSMMNAFSEGLVLADKSGLSSDT LLDILDLGAMTNPMFKGKGPSMTKSSYPPAFPLKHQQKDMRLALALGDEN AVSMPVAAAANEAFKKARSLGLGDLDFSAVIEAVKFSRE

Gene ID 003 Nucleotide Sequence: Escherichia coli K-12 substr. MG1655 L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase fucO_(16L-L7V)

(SEQ ID NO: 20) ATGATGGCTAACAGAATGCTGGTGAACGAAACGGCATGGTTTGGTCGGGG TGCTGTTGGGGCTTTAACCGATGAGGTGAAACGCCGTGGTTATCAGAAGG CGCTGATCGTCACCGATAAAACGCTGGTGCAATGCGGCGTGGTGGCGAAA GTGACCGATAAGATGGATGCTGCAGGGCTGGCATGGGCGATTTACGACGG CGTAGTGCCCAACCCAACAATTACTGTCGTCAAAGAAGGGCTCGGTGTAT TCCAGAATAGCGGCGCGGATTACCTGATCGCTATTGGTGGTGGTTCTCCA CAGGATACTTGTAAAGCGATTGGCATTATCAGCAACAACCCGGAGTTTGC CGATGTGCGTAGCCTGGAAGGGCTTTCCCCGACCAATAAACCCAGTGTAC CGATTCTGGCAATTCCTACCACAGCAGGTACTGCGGCAGAAGTGACCATT AACTACGTGATCACTGACGAAGAGAAACGGCGCAAGTTTGTTTGCGTTGA TCCGCATGATATCCCGCAGGTGGCGTTTATTGACGCTGACATGATGGATG GTATGCCTCCAGCGCTGAAAGCTGCGACGGGTGTCGATGCGCTCACTCAT GCTATTGAGGGGTATATTACCCGTGGCGCGTGGGCGCTAACCGATGCACT GCACATTAAAGCGATTGAAATCATTGCTGGGGCGCTGCGAGGATCGGTTG CTGGTGATAAGGATGCCGGAGAAGAAATGGCGCTCGGGCAGTATGTTGCG GGTATGGGCTTCTCGAATGTTGGGTTAGGGTTGGTGCATGGTATGGCGCA TCCACTGGGCGCGTTTTATAACACTCCACACGGTGTTGCGAACGCCATCC TGTTACCGCATGTCATGCGTTATAACGCTGACTTTACCGGTGAGAAGTAC CGCGATATCGCGCGCGTTATGGGCGTGAAAGTGGAAGGTATGAGCCTGGA AGAGGCGCGTAATGCCGCTGTTGAAGCGGTGTTTGCTCTCAACCGTGATG TCGGTATTCCGCCACATTTGCGTGATGTTGGTGTACGCAAGGAAGACATT CCGGCACTGGCGCAGGCGGCACTGGATGATGTTTGTACCGGTGGCAACCC GCGTGAAGCAACGCTTGAGGATATTGTAGAGCTTTACCATACCGCCTGGT AA

Gene ID 003 Amino Acid Sequence: Escherichia coli K-12 substr. MG1655 L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase FucO_(16L-L7V)

(SEQ ID NO: 21) MANRMLVNETAWFGRGAVGALTDEVKRRGYQKALIVTDKTLVQCGVVAKV TDKMDAAGLAWAIYDGVVPNPTITVVKEGLGVFQNSGADYLIAIGGGSPQ DTCKAIGIISNNPEFADVRSLEGLSPTNKPSVPILAIPTTAGTAAEVTIN YVITDEEKRRKFVCVDPHDIPQVAFIDADMMDGMPPALKAATGVDALTHA IEGYITRGAWALTDALHIKAIEIIAGALRGSVAGDKDAGEEMALGQYVAG MGFSNVGLGLVHGMAHPLGAFYNTPHGVANAILLPHVMRYNADFTGEKYR DIARVMGVKVEGMSLEEARNAAVEAVFALNRDVGIPPHLRDVGVRKEDIP ALAQAALDDVCTGGNPREATLEDIVELYHTAW

Gene ID 004 Nucleotide Sequence: Pseudomonas putida/Zoogloea ramigera polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase fusion gene phaC3/C5

(SEQ ID NO: 22) ATGAGTAACAAGAACAACGATGAGCTGCAGTGGCAATCCTGGTTCAGCAA GGCGCCCACCACCGAGGCGAACCCGATGGCCACCATGTTGCAGGATATCG GCGTTGCGCTCAAACCGGAAGCGATGGAGCAGCTGAAAAACGATTATCTG CGTGACTTCACCGCGTTGTGGCAGGATTTTTTGGCTGGCAAGGCGCCAGC CGTCAGCGACCGCCGCTTCAGCTCGGCAGCCTGGCAGGGCAATCCGATGT CGGCCTTCAATGCCGCATCTTACCTGCTCAACGCCAAATTCCTCAGTGCC ATGGTGGAGGCGGTGGACACCGCACCCCAGCAAAAGCAGAAAATACGCTT TGCCGTGCAGCAGGTGATTGATGCCATGTCGCCCGCGAACTTCCTCGCCA CCAACCCGGAAGCGCAGCAAAAACTGATTGAAACCAAGGGCGAGAGCCTG ACGCGTGGCCTGGTCAATATGCTGGGCGATATCAACAAGGGCCATATCTC GCTGTCGGACGAATCGGCCTTTGAAGTGGGCCGCAACCTGGCCATTACCC CGGGCACCGTGATTTACGAAAATCCGCTGTTCCAGCTGATCCAGTACACG CCGACCACGCCGACGGTCAGCCAGCGCCCGCTGTTGATGGTGCCGCCGTG CATCAACAAGTTCTACATCCTCGACCTGCAACCGGAAAATTCGCTGGTGC GCTACGCGGTGGAGCAGGGCAACACCGTGTTCCTGATCTCGTGGAGCAAT CCGGACAAGTCGCTGGCCGGCACCACCTGGGACGACTACGTGGAGCAGGG CGTGATCGAAGCGATCCGCATCGTCCAGGACGTCAGCGGCCAGGACAAGC TGAACATGTTCGGCTTCTGCGTGGGCGGCACCATCGTTGCCACCGCACTG GCGGTACTGGCGGCGCGTGGCCAGCACCCGGCGGCCAGCCTGACCCTGCT GACCACCTTCCTCGACTTCAGCGACACCGGCGTGCTCGACGTCTTCGTCG ATGAAACCCAGGTCGCGCTGCGTGAACAGCAATTGCGCGATGGCGGCCTG ATGCCGGGCCGTGACCTGGCCTCGACCTTCTCGAGCCTGCGTCCGAACGA CCTGGTATGGAACTATGTGCAGTCGAACTACCTCAAAGGCAATGAGCCGG CGGCGTTTGACCTGCTGTTCTGGAATTCGGACAGCACCAATTTGCCGGGC CCGATGTTCTGCTGGTACCTGCGCAACACCTACCTGGAAAACAGCCTGAA AGTGCCGGGCAAGCTGACGGTGGCCGGCGAAAAGATCGACCTCGGCCTGA TCGACGCCCCGGCCTTCATCTACGGTTCGCGCGAAGACCACATCGTGCCG TGGATGTCGGCGTACGGTTCGCTCGACATCCTCAACCAGGGCAAGCCGGG CGCCAACCGCTTCGTGCTGGGCGCGTCCGGCCATATCGCCGGCGTGATCA ACTCGGTGGCCAAGAACAAGCGCAGCTACTGGATCAACGACGGTGGCGCC GCCGATGCCCAGGCCTGGTTCGATGGCGCGCAGGAAGTGCCGGGCAGCTG GTGGCCGCAATGGGCCGGGTTCCTGACCCAGCATGGCGGCAAGAAGGTCA AGCCCAAGGCCAAGCCCGGCAACGCCCGCTACACCGCGATCGAGGCGGCG CCCGGCCGTTACGTCAAAGCCAAGGGCTGA

Gene ID 004 Amino Acid Sequence: Pseudomonas putida/Zoogloea ramigera polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase fusion gene PhaC3/C5

(SEQ ID NO: 23) SNKNNDELQWQSWFSKAPTTEANPMATMLQDIGVALKPEAMEQLKNDYLR DFTALWQDFLAGKAPAVSDRRFSSAAWQGNPMSAFNAASYLLNAKFLSAM VEAVDTAPQQKQKIRFAVQQVIDAMSPANFLATNPEAQQKLIETKGESLT RGLVNMLGDINKGHISLSDESAFEVGRNLAITPGTVIYENPLFQLIQYTP TTPTVSQRPLLMVPPCINKFYILDLQPENSLVRYAVEQGNTVFLISWSNP DKSLAGTTWDDYVEQGVIEAIRIVQDVSGQDKLNMFGFCVGGTIVATALA VLAARGQHPAASLTLLTTFLDFSDTGVLDVFVDETQVALREQQLRDGGLM PGRDLASTFSSLRPNDLVWNYVQSNYLKGNEPAAFDLLFWNSDSTNLPGP MFCWYLRNTYLENSLKVPGKLTVAGEKIDLGLIDAPAFIYGSREDHIVPW MSAYGSLDILNQGKPGANRFVLGASGHIAGVINSVAKNKRSYWINDGGAA DAQAWFDGAQEVPGSWWPQWAGFLTQHGGKKVKPKAKPGNARYTAIEAAP GRYVKAKG

Gene ID 005 Nucleotide Sequence: Pseudomonas putida/Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase fusion gene phaC3/C1*

(SEQ ID NO: 24) ATGACTAGAAGGAGGTTTCATATGAGTAACAAGAACAACGATGAGCTGGC GACGGGTAAAGGTGCTGCTGCATCTTCTACTGAAGGTAAATCTCAGCCGT TTAAATTCCCACCGGGTCCGCTGGACCCGGCCACTTGGCTGGAATGGAGC CGTCAGTGGCAAGGTCCGGAGGGCAATGGCGGTACCGTGCCGGGTGGCTT TCCGGGTTTCGAAGCGTTCGCGGCGTCCCCGCTGGCGGGCGTGAAAATCG ACCCGGCTCAGCTGGCAGAGATCCAGCAGCGTTATATGCGTGATTTCACC GAGCTGTGGCGTGGTCTGGCAGGCGGTGACACCGAGAGCGCTGGCAAACT GCATGACCGTCGCTTCGCGTCCGAAGCGTGGCACAAAAACGCGCCGTATC GCTATACTGCGGCATTTTACCTGCTGAACGCACGTGCACTGACGGAACTG GCTGATGCAGTAGAAGCGGATCCGAAAACCCGTCAGCGTATCCGTTTTGC GGTTTCCCAGTGGGTAGATGCTATGAGCCCGGCTAACTTCCTGGCCACCA ACCCGGACGCTCAGAACCGTCTGATCGAGAGCCGTGGTGAAAGCCTGCGT GCCGGCATGCGCAATATGCTGGAAGATCTGACCCGCGGTAAAATTTCCCA AACCGATGAGACTGCCTTCGAAGTAGGCCGTAACATGGCAGTTACCGAAG GTGCTGTGGTATTCGAAAACGAGTTCTTCCAGCTGCTGCAGTACAAACCT CTGACTGACAAAGTATACACCCGTCCGCTGCTGCTGGTACCGCCGTGCAT TAACAAGTTCTATATTCTGGACCTGCAGCCGGAAGGTTCTCTGGTCCGTT ACGCAGTCGAACAGGGTCACACTGTATTCCTGGTGAGCTGGCGCAATCCA GACGCTAGCATGGCTGGCTGTACCTGGGATGACTATATTGAAAACGCGGC TATCCGCGCCATCGAGGTTGTGCGTGATATCAGCGGTCAGGACAAGATCA ACACCCTGGGCTTTTGTGTTGGTGGCACGATCATCTCCACTGCCCTGGCG GTCCTGGCCGCCCGTGGTGAGCACCCGGTGGCCTCTCTGACCCTGCTGAC TACCCTGCTGGACTTCACCGATACTGGTATCCTGGATGTTTTCGTGGACG AGCCACACGTTCAGCTGCGTGAGGCGACTCTGGGCGGCGCCAGCGGCGGT CTGCTGCGTGGTGTCGAGCTGGCCAATACCTTTTCCTTCCTGCGCCCGAA CGACCTGGTTTGGAACTACGTTGTTGACAACTATCTGAAAGGCAACACCC CGGTACCTTTCGATCTGCTGTTCTGGAACGGTGATGCAACCAACCTGCCT GGTCCATGGTACTGTTGGTACCTGCGTCATACTTACCTGCAGAACGAACT GAAAGAGCCGGGCAAACTGACCGTGTGTAACGAACCTGTGGACCTGGGCG CGATTAACGTTCCTACTTACATCTACGGTTCCCGTGAAGATCACATCGTA CCGTGGACCGCGGCTTACGCCAGCACCGCGCTGCTGAAGAACGATCTGCG TTTCGTACTGGGCGCATCCGGCCATATCGCAGGTGTGATCAACCCTCCTG CAAAGAAAAAGCGTTCTCATTGGACCAACGACGCGCTGCCAGAATCCGCG CAGGATTGGCTGGCAGGTGCTGAGGAACACCATGGTTCCTGGTGGCCGGA TTGGATGACCTGGCTGGGTAAACAAGCCGGTGCAAAACGTGCAGCTCCAA CTGAATATGGTAGCAAGCGTTATGCTGCAATCGAGCCAGCGCCAGGCCGT TACGTTAAAGCGAAAGCATAA

Gene ID 005 Amino Acid Sequence: Pseudomonas putida/Ralstonia eutropha polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase fusion gene PhaC3/C1*

(SEQ ID NO: 25) MSNKNNDELATGKGAAASSTEGKSQPFKFPPGPLDPATWLEWSRQWQGPE GNGGTVPGGFPGFEAFAASPLAGVKIDPAQLAEIQQRYMRDFTELWRGLA GGDTESAGKLHDRRFASEAWHKNAPYRYTAAFYLLNARALTELADAVEAD PKTRQRIRFAVSQWVDAMSPANFLATNPDAQNRLIESRGESLRAGMRNML EDLTRGKISQTDETAFEVGRNMAVTEGAVVFENEFFQLLQYKPLTDKVYT RPLLLVPPCINKFYILDLQPEGSLVRYAVEQGHTVFLVSWRNPDASMAGC TWDDYIENAAIRAIEVVRDISGQDKINTLGFCVGGTIISTALAVLAARGE HPVASLTLLTTLLDFTDTGILDVFVDEPHVQLREATLGGASGGLLRGVEL ANTFSFLRPNDLVWNYVVDNYLKGNTPVPFDLLFWNGDATNLPGPWYCWY LRHTYLQNELKEPGKLTVCNEPVDLGAINVPTYIYGSREDHIVPWTAAYA STALLKNDLRFVLGASGHIAGVINPPAKKKRSHWTNDALPESAQDWLAGA EEHHGSWWPDWMTWLGKQAGAKRAAPTEYGSKRYAAIEPAPGRYVKAKA

Gene ID 006 Nucleotide Sequence: Pseudomonas putida/Delftia acidovorans 89-11-102 polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase fusion gene phaC3/C33

(SEQ ID NO: 26) ATGAGTAACAAGAACAACGATGAGCTGGCGAATTTCGACCCGCTGGCTGG CCTGTCTGGTCAATCGGTGCAACAGTTCTGGAATGAGCAGTGGAGCCGTA CCCTGCAGACCTTGCAGCAGATGGGTCAACCGGGCCTGCCGGGCATTCAA GGTATGCCGGGTATGCCAGACATGGCACAAGCGTGGAAAGCCGCTGTGCC GGAACCGGGTGCACTGCCTGAGAATGCGCTGTCTCTGGATCCGGAGAAGC TGCTGGAACTGCAGCGTCAATATCTGGACGGTGCAAAAGCGATGGCAGAG CAGGGCGGTGCGCAAGCATTGCTGGCAAAAGATAAACGTTTCAATACCGA ATCGTGGGCAGGTAATCCGCTGACGGCTGCGACCGCGGCAACCTACCTGC TGAACTCCCGTATGCTGATGGGTCTGGCGGACGCTGTTCAGGCGGACGAT AAGACCCGTAACCGTGTGCGTTTTGCGATTGAGCAGTGGCTGGCAGCGAT GGCGCCGAGCAACTTCCTGGCGCTGAATGCTGAGGCCCAAAAGAAGGCGA TCGAGACTCAGGGCGAGAGCCTGGCCCAAGGCGTGGCGAACCTGCTGGCG GATATGCGTCAGGGTCATGTCTCCATGACCGACGAAAGCCTGTTTACGGT GGGCAAGAACGTGGCAACGACCGAAGGTGCGGTTGTTTTCGAGAATGAGC TGTTCCAGTTGATTGAGTATAAGCCGTTGACGGATAAGGTGCATGAGCGC CCGTTCCTGATGGTGCCGCCGTGCATCAACAAATTCTATATCCTGGATCT GCAACCGGACAACAGCCTGATCCGTTATGCCGTTAGCCAGGGCCATCGCA CGTTCGTCATGTCCTGGCGCAATCCAGACGAATCTCTGGCCCGTAAAACG TGGGATAACTACATCGAAGATGGCGTTCTGACGGGTATTCGCGTCGCGCG TGAGATTGCTGGTGCGGAGCAGATCAACGTTCTGGGTTTTTGTGTGGGCG GCACTATGTTGAGCACCGCGTTGGCGGTTCTGCAAGCCCGCCACGACCGC GAGCACGGCGCAGTCGCAGCACCAGCCGCTAAAGCGCCAGCGGCGAAACG TGCGGCAGGTAGCCGCAGCGCGGCTCGTACGTCCACTGCGCGTGCCACCG CCCCTGCAGGTGTTCCGTTCCCGGTTGCGAGCGTCACCTTGCTGACCACC TTTATCGATTTCTCCGACACCGGCATCCTGGACGTGTTCATTGATGAATC TGTCGTCCGTTTTCGCGAGATGCAAATGGGTGAAGGTGGTTTGATGAAGG GCCAAGACCTGGCGAGCACCTTTAGCTTTCTGCGCCCGAATGACTTGGTT TGGAATTACGTCGTGGGCAACTACCTGAAAGGTGAAACCCCTCCGCCGTT TGACCTGCTGTATTGGAACAGCGATAGCACCAACCTGCCGGGTCCGTACT ACGCGTGGTACCTGCGTAATCTGTACCTGGAAAATCGCCTGGCACAGCCG GGTGCGTTGACTGTTTGCGGTGAACGTATCGACATGCACCAGCTGCGTCT GCCGGCGTACATCTATGGCAGCCGCGAAGATCACATTGTTCCGGTTGGTG GTAGCTATGCCAGCACCCAAGTGCTGGGTGGTGATAAGCGCTTTGTGATG GGTGCGTCCGGTCACATTGCAGGCGTCATCAACCCGCCTGCAAAGAAGAA ACGTAGCTACTGGCTGCGTGAAGATGGCCAGCTGCCGGCCACGCTGAAAG AGTGGCAGGCCGGTGCCGACGAGTATCCTGGTAGCTGGTGGGCGGATTGG AGCCCGTGGCTGGCCGAGCACGGTGGCAAACTGGTGGCAGCGCCGAAGCA ATACGGCAAAGGCCGTGAGTACACGGCGATTGAACCGGCTCCAGGCCGCT ACGTTTTGGTCAAGGCGTAA

Gene ID 006 Amino Acid Sequence: Pseudomonas putida/Delftia acidovorans 89-11-102 polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase fusion gene PhaC3/C33

(SEQ ID NO: 27) MSNKNNDELANFDPLAGLSGQSVQQFWNEQWSRTLQTLQQMGQPGLPGIQ GMPGMPDMAQAWKAAVPEPGALPENALSLDPEKLLELQRQYLDGAKAMAE QGGAQALLAKDKRFNTESWAGNPLTAATAATYLLNSRMLMGLADAVQADD KTRNRVRFAIEQWLAAMAPSNFLALNAEAQKKAIETQGESLAQGVANLLA DMRQGHVSMTDESLFTVGKNVATTEGAVVFENELFQLIEYKPLTDKVHER PFLMVPPCINKFYILDLQPDNSLIRYAVSQGHRTFVMSWRNPDESLARKT WDNYIEDGVLTGIRVAREIAGAEQINVLGFCVGGTMLSTALAVLQARHDR EHGAVAAPAAKAPAAKRAAGSRSAARTSTARATAPAGVPFPVASVTLLTT FIDFSDTGILDVFIDESVVRFREMQMGEGGLMKGQDLASTFSFLRPNDLV WNYVVGNYLKGETPPPFDLLYWNSDSTNLPGPYYAWYLRNLYLENRLAQP GALTVCGERIDMHQLRLPAYIYGSREDHIVPVGGSYASTQVLGGDKRFVM GASGHIAGVINPPAKKKRSYWLREDGQLPATLKEWQAGADEYPGSWWADW SPWLAEHGGKLVAAPKQYGKGREYTAIEPAPGRYVLVKA

Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. Such equivalents are intended to encompassed in the claims that follow.

Reference to a “Sequence Listing,” a Table, or a Computer Program Listing Appendix Submitted as an ASCII Text File

The material in the ASCII text file, named “MBLX_(—)50416 WO_SequenceListing_ST25.txt”, created Sep. 28, 2013, file size of 41,042 bytes, is hereby incorporated by reference. 

1. A polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition comprising a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules (i) comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, (ii) have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, (iii) have a biobased content of ≧80% corresponding to amount of biobased carbon as a percent of weight (mass) of total organic carbon as defined in ASTM D6866-12, and (iv) have a weight average molecular weight of 250 kDa to 2.0 MDa, and further wherein the composition has a glass transition temperature of −60° C. to −5° C.
 2. (canceled)
 3. (canceled)
 4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules does not decrease with increasing molecular weight of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules.
 5. The composition of claim 1, wherein: the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are produced in a fermentation process using one or more carbon raw materials that, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧80%; the one or more carbon raw materials comprise a carbon source selected from the group consisting of glucose, levoglucosan, sucrose, lactose, fructose, xylose, maltose, arabinose, and mixtures thereof; and the yield is greater than 0.25 g of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules per gram of the carbon source.
 6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 25 to 70%.
 7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 30 to 40%.
 8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 40 to 50%.
 9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 50 to 60%.
 10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 60 to 70%.
 11. The composition of claim 1, wherein the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is ≧95%.
 12. The composition of claim 1, wherein the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is ≧99%.
 13. The composition of claim 1, wherein the biobased content of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 100%.
 14. A polymer blend composition comprising the polyhydroxyalkanoate composition of claim 1 and a plurality of molecules of a second polymer.
 15. The polymer blend composition of claim 14, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are present at 5 to 95 weight percent of the polymer blend composition.
 16. The polymer blend composition of claim 14, wherein the polymer blend composition is continuous or co-continuous.
 17. The polymer blend composition of claim 14, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules and the molecules of the second polymer form a single phase.
 18. The polymer blend composition of claim 14, wherein the polymer blend composition has a lower crystallizability than a corresponding composition that lacks the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules.
 19. A biomass composition comprising the composition of claim 1, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules are present ≧50 weight percent of the biomass composition.
 20. A method of making a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition comprising a plurality of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules (i) comprise 3-hydroxybutyrate monomers and 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers, (ii) have a monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of 23.5 to 75%, and (iii) have a biobased content of ≧80% corresponding to amount of biobased carbon as a percent of weight (mass) of total organic carbon as defined in ASTM D6866-12, and (iv) have a weight average molecular weight of 250 kDa to 2.0 MDa, and further wherein the composition has a glass transition temperature of −60° C. to −5° C., the method comprising: culturing an organism in the presence of one or more carbon raw materials under conditions under which (a) the one or more carbon raw materials are converted to 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and (b) the 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and the 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA are polymerized to form the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules, thereby forming the composition, wherein: the organism has been genetically engineered to comprise enzymatic activities of a polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase, an acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase, an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, a succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, a succinic semialdehyde reductase, and a CoA transferase by stable incorporation of genes encoding the polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase, the acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase, the acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, the succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, the succinic semialdehyde reductase, and the CoA transferase into the organism by introduction of one or more stable plasmids comprising the genes and/or by integration of the genes into the genome of the organism, and to not comprise enzymatic activities of either an NAD+-dependent succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase or an NADP+-dependent succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase or both, and the one or more carbon raw materials, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧80%.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the organism has further been genetically engineered (a) to comprise enzymatic activities of (i) an alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase or 2-oxoglutarate decarboxylase and (ii) an L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase, and (b) to not comprise enzymatic activities of one or more of (i) a thioesterase II, (ii) a multifunctional acyl-CoA thioesterase I and protease I and lysophospholipase L, (iii) an acyl-CoA thioesterase, and (iv) an aldehyde dehydrogenase.
 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more carbon raw materials comprise a carbon source selected from the group consisting of glucose, levoglucosan, sucrose, lactose, fructose, xylose, maltose, arabinose, and mixtures thereof.
 23. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more carbon raw materials comprise one or more of molasses, starch, a fatty acid, a vegetable oil, a lignocellulosic material, ethanol, acetic acid, glycerol, a biomass-derived synthesis gas, and methane originating from a landfill gas.
 24. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more carbon raw materials do not comprise γ-butyrolactone, 1,4-butanediol, 4-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, α-ketoglutarate, oxaloacetate, malate, fumarate, citrate, succinate, or 3-hydroxybutyrate.
 25. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more carbon raw materials, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧95%.
 26. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more carbon raw materials, taken together, have a biobased content of ≧99%.
 27. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more carbon raw materials, taken together, have a biobased content of 100%.
 28. The method of claim 20, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 25 to 70%.
 29. The method of claim 20, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 30 to 40%.
 30. The method of claim 20, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 40 to 50%.
 31. The method of claim 20, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 50 to 60%.
 32. The method of claim 20, wherein the monomeric molar percentage of 4-hydroxybutyrate monomers of the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules is 60 to 70%.
 33. The method of claim 20, further comprising isolating the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer molecules from the organism, such that the polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer composition is substantially free of the organism. 34-37. (canceled) 